A study last year by Adwoa Commodore and colleagues at Medical University of South Carolina showed that people with more exposure to heavy vehicle traffic near their homes had methylation changes to their DNA. The researchers also found similar methylation changes in newborns.
When DNA is methylated, it does not change the sequence of the DNA, but it is linked to adverse health problems such as asthma.
Dr. Commodore and her colleagues compared people who had varying amounts of heavy vehicles driving past their houses, from none to more than 10 per hour. Those with the most heavy vehicle traffic near their homes had consistent methylation changes to their DNA. The methylation could affect how genes are expressed and may help explain how air pollution causes health problems.
This study shows that air pollution from traffic affects our health, and helps explain the specific ways that it might cause disease.
It also shows the need for stronger standards on air pollution, including particulate matter which can come from trucks and other vehicles. Please comment on EPA’s current proposal to NOT CHANGE the particulate standards. This proposal ignores science and harms our health.
