Bio: Dr. Yun Zhou is a Professor at the School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University (GZMU). She was nominated for the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by the China Association for Science and Technology and is currently a member of the Expert Committee on Epigenetics in Toxicology for the Chinese Society of Toxicology. Her research focuses on the causes, mechanisms, impact, and prevention of respiratory diseases, particularly the role of chemicals in these conditions. She has led three projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation and has published papers in academic journals such as the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Journal of Hazardous Materials, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, Environment International, etc.

Abstract: Carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs) have been shown to induce DNA damage in human bronchial epithelial cells, potentially initiating carcinogenesis, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To investigate this, we established both in vitro and in vivo models by treating human bronchial epithelial cell lines (16HBE and BEAS-2B) with various concentrations of CBNPs and exposing BALB/c mice to CBNPs. We observed sustained DNA double-strand breaks and tumor-like transformations in lung tissues. High-throughput sequencing and RIP-seq identified overexpression of specific circular RNAs (circRNAs), notably circ_0025373 and circ_0089282, in CBNP-exposed groups. Mechanistically, circ_0025373 binds to MutS homolog 2 (MSH2), modifying its expression and influencing its nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution, which inhibits CBNP-induced malignant transformation. Similarly, circ_0089282 interacts directly with the fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein, positively regulating the downstream DNA repair protein DNA ligase 4 (LIG4) through FUS, thereby mitigating DNA damage. Interference with these circRNAs increased DNA damage, while their overexpression had protective effects. These findings highlight the interplay between genetics and epigenetics in toxicology, providing novel insights into the carcinogenicity of CBNPs and revealing potential epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets for lung carcinogenesis.