Figure 4.

Proposed role for OGG1-BER in asthma and EIA-related gene expression. The large inhaled air volumes during physical activity decrease the temperature and water content of the airway epithelium lining fluid, leading to supraphysiological ROS production by epithelial cells, which can be exacerbated by exposures to environmental pollutants. ROS-induced 8-oxoG lesions in the DNA are repaired by OGG1-BER. In the cytosol, 8-oxoG complexes with OGG1 and acts as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), activating small GTPases and initiating a signaling cascade that leads to the translocation of transcription factors (TFs) initiating the transcription of genes associated to AHR, mast cell degranulation, and bronchoconstriction.