Cigarette smoke destabilizes G-quadruplex structures and antagonizes G4-ligand effects in macrophages.

ABSTRACT: Cigarette smoke (CS) is a major risk factor for many respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, contributing to genomic instability, chronic inflammation, and impaired immune responses. Macrophages are among the most affected cell types, and CS-induced polarization has been increasingly associated with tumor promotion and reduced anti-tumor activity. G quadruplexes (G4) are non-canonical structures of RNA and DNA, enriched in G-rich sequences (such as telomeres or gene promoters), influencing several layers of gene expression regulation and DNA stability. More recently, genome-wide approaches have enabled high-resolution mapping of G4 structures in human cells, confirming the formation and functionality of G4 in multiple biological contexts. G4 structures can be bound and stabilized by s

SUBMITTER: Mirra D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12855816 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature