Revealing toxic secrets: How PAHs accelerate cellular ageing and trigger human diseases

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants that are hazardous to human health; can be produced by a variety of pathways; and are widely present in the environment, including air, soil, and water. When PAHs enter the human body, they accelerate cellular senescence and cellular ageing by promoting cell cycle arrest, inducing the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA methylation and mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby increasing the likelihood of disease, including reproductive disorders, Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, studying and combatting diseases caused by PAH exposure is critical. In this work, we elaborate on the mechanism of PAH toxicity and the diseases caused by PAHs from the perspective of the cellular senescence induced by PAHs, their central component benzo(a)pyrene, and their derivatives, with the aim of elucidating the molecular mechanisms of human diseases induced by PAHs through cellular senescence to provide theoretical support for the development of targeted preventive strategies and the maintenance of public health.