Abstract
The risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is related to lifestyle (e.g. diet, physical activity and smoking) as well as to genetic factors. This study aimed at evaluating the association between CVD risk factors and DNA damage levels in children and adolescents. Anthropometry, diet and serum CVD risk factors were evaluated by standard procedures. DNA damage levels were accessed by the comet assay (Single cell gel electrophoresis; SCGE) and cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assays in leukocytes. A total of 34 children and adolescents selected from a population sample were divided into three groups according to their level of CVD risk. Moderate and high CVD risk subjects showed significantly higher body fat and serum CVD risk markers than low risk subjects (P<0.05). High risk subjects also showed a significant increase in DNA damage, which was higher than that provided by low and moderate risk subjects according to SCGE, but not according to the CBMN assay. Vitamin C intake was inversely correlated with DNA damage by SCGE, and micronucleus (MN) was inversely correlated with folate intake. The present results indicate an increase in DNA damage that may be a consequence of oxidative stress in young individuals with risk factors for CVD, indicating that the DNA damage level can aid in evaluating the risk of CVD.
Highlights
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are multifactor slow-progressing pathologies (Argiles et al 1998)The risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is related to a set of characteristics or risk factors that interact to increase the probability of developing CVD; these characteristics include metabolic and hemodynamic disturbances, as well as an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity (Wu 1999).Correlations between the extent of athero sclerotic depositions and CVD risk factors have been observed in an autopsy study with young subjects whose deaths were unrelated to CVD itself (Berenson et al 1998)
The number of individuals with hypertension differs between groups, and there was a significant correlation between hypertensive subjects and an increased CVD risk level (r=0.370, p=0.031; Table I)
We evaluated primary DNA damage in the comet assay, which identifies DNA single or double strand breaks that could be repaired by the cells
Summary
Correlations between the extent of athero sclerotic depositions and CVD risk factors (e.g. serum lipids disturbances) have been observed in an autopsy study with young subjects whose deaths were unrelated to CVD itself (Berenson et al 1998). Such evidence indicates that some young individuals with changes in CVD risk factors may be at higher CVD risk later in life. Several studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress can contribute to CVD progression (Wattanapitayakul and Bauer 2001). A diet rich in saturated fat and poor in micronutrients with antioxidant properties (such as vitamins A and C) may increase the formation of oxidized lipids and reduce antioxidant reactions, leading to oxidative stress (Poulsen 2005, Obrenovich et al 2011)
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