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Gene & Protein in Disease Buccal mucosa and aging

Accordingly, occupational health is a major societal
concern. Further studies are needed to identify genotoxic
agents at environmental exposures, particularly in
occupational settings, to protect the body from health
damage. 41,51 Developing strategies to improve health and safety
in workplaces, such as mechanical workshops, is essential. In
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addition, actions should be taken to either reduce the levels
of harmful chemicals or increase the protection of exposed
individuals to minimize adverse health effects. For instance,
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diluting chemicals or using less toxic substances can reduce
the risk of toxicity and genotoxic effects from chemical
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hazards. 37,52-55 These measures can help protect the body
from molecular modifications caused by hazardous chemical
exposure, which may accelerate biological aging. 3

4. Aging process
Figure 1. Entry routes of chemicals into the body and related reactions
Aging results from the cumulative effects of damage
caused by endogenous and exogenous factors. 48,56 It can be
Table 1. Factors affecting the toxicity level of chemicals in defined in terms of both chronological and biological aging.
the body
Chronological age is measured from birth and indicates
Factors Characteristics the time a person has lived. While it is linked to declining
Host Age, heredity, gender, health status, immunology, health, morbidity, and mortality, it does not accurately reflect
nutrition, and hormones the internal biological processes or individual variation.
Exposure dose Concentration, rate of exposure, route of exposure, Therefore, the focus has shifted toward using biological
and duration markers of aging to measure biophysiological aging processes
Chemicals Composition (salt, free base, etc.), physical and determine biological age, which reflects the aging of
properties characters (particle size, liquid, solid, etc.), physical cells within the body. The concept of “aging biomarkers”
properties (instability, solubility, etc.), presence of was first introduced by Baker and Sprott in 1988 to predict
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impurities, breakdown product, and carrier functional capability based on biological parameters.
Others Combination of chemicals, carrier
However, aging transitions an organism from full
maturity to death, diminishing reproductive capability and
water, inhaling toxic vapors, and exposure to brake survival. It occurs in both unicellular and multicellular
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39
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lining products and engine ignitions can elevate the risk organisms, progressing differently across tissues
40
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of genotoxicity in mechanical workshops. 30,41-45 Workers due to specific intrinsic cellular mechanisms. There is
are primarily exposed to complex chemical mixtures of ongoing debate regarding whether aging originates from
organic or inorganic compounds in the forms of gases, a specific tissue, such as the brain, or affects all tissues
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vapors, fumes, mist, and particles. Once these chemicals simultaneously. Despite this, aging is known to start at
41
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enter or come into contact with the body, they can induce the cellular level due to DNA damage and reduced DNA
cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, 30,41-45 leading to health repair capacity. 62,63 Senescent cells remain metabolically
damage. 34-36 For instance, exposure to high concentrations active but, morphologically, exhibit an increased volume
of diesel exhaust is associated with an increased risk of and a flattened cytoplasm, accompanied by changes in
lung and gastric cancers. 46 gene expression, nuclear structure, protein processing, and
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One of the known health damages of environmental metabolism. Various factors, especially ROS and nitrogen
exposure is premature aging, which is associated with species such as hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, ozone,
changes in metabolic rates and the body’s ability to and nitrogen oxides, induce oxidative stress, leading to
activate, detoxify, and excrete xenobiotic compounds. DNA damage, accelerated aging, and age-related health
These changes can affect the extent of damage and toxicity, issues. The accumulation of ROS and toxic metabolic
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as well as the rate of aging. 47,48 In addition, environmental byproducts in the body results in decreased physiological
exposure can result in modifications in the activation function, loss of homeostasis, tissue atrophy, neoplasms,
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of immune system cells, including NK cells, 49,50 whose and reduced organ and tissue function. ROS contribute
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maintenance is essential for healthy aging. 49 to aging by causing DNA damage, mitochondrial
Volume 3 Issue 4 (2024) 3 doi: 10.36922/gpd.4418