What are the DNA lesions underlying formaldehyde toxicity?

DNA Repair (Amst). 2024 Mar 7;138:103667. doi: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103667. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFormaldehyde is a highly reactive organic compound. Humans can be exposed to exogenous sources of formaldehyde, but formaldehyde is also produced endogenously as a byproduct of cellular metabolism. Because formaldehyde can react with DNA, it is considered a major endogenous source of DNA damage. However, the nature of the lesions underlying formaldehyde toxicity in cells remains vastly unknown. Here, we review the current knowledge of the different types of nucleic acid lesions that are induced by formaldehyde and describe the repair pathways known to counteract formaldehyde toxicity. Taking this knowledge together, we discuss and speculate on the predominant lesions generated by formaldehyde, which underly its natural toxicity.PMID:38554505 | DOI:10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103667
Source: DNA Repair - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research