DNA Damage in Lymphocytes in Hypertensive Subjects in Bangladesh

Abstract

Oxidative stress due to imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and their dismutation is claimed to be higher in hypertensive subjects than normotensive subjects. In hypertensive subjects oxidative stress may damage deoxy-ribonucleic acids (DNA). In this study plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, protein carbonyl contents (PCCs) and extent of DNA damage in lymphocytes were measured in specimens obtained from 86 subjects to compare oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage between normotensive and hypertensive subjects and to assess their relationship with the degree of blood pressure. Results were expressed as mean±SD. Two-tailed unpaired t test and Pearson’s correlation test were done to compare or to determine the relationship between groups or variables. SOD activities were 2.85±0.12 unit/mg protein and 3.84±0.45 unit/mg protein (p<0.05) in hypertensive and normotensive groups respectively. PCCs were 4.77±0.36 nmol/mg protein and 3.75±0.23 nmol/mg protein in hypertensive and normotensive groups respectively. Olive tail moments (OTM) were 124.7±11.69 units and 108.9±9.27 units in hypertensive and normotensive groups respectively. The correlation coefficient of OTM was 0.3924 (p<0.05) for diastolic blood pressure and 0.3618 (p<0.05) for systolic blood pressure. Oxidative stress and DNA damage was higher in hypertensives than normotensives and DNA damage correlated positively with blood pressure. Keywords: Superoxide dismutase, Protein carbonyl content, Oxidative stress, Oxidative DNA damage, Hypertension, Bangladeshi population. © 2013 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsr.v5i3.15022 J. Sci. Res. 5 (3), 535-543 (2013)