DNA Base Damage Research Articles

GSTP1 Loss results in accumulation of oxidative DNA base damage and promotes prostate cancer cell survival following exposure to protracted oxidative stress.

Epigenetic silencing of glutathione S-transferase π (GSTP1) is a hallmark of transformation from normal prostatic epithelium to adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The functional significance of this loss is incompletely understood. The present study explores the effects of restored GSTP1 expression on glutathione levels, accumulation of oxidative DNA damage, and prostate cancer cell survival following oxidative stress induced by protracted, low dose rate ionizing radiation (LDR). GSTP1 protein expression was stably restored in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. The effect of GSTP1 restoration on protracted LDR-induced oxidative DNA damage was measured by GC-MS quantitation of modified bases. Reduced and oxidized glutathione levels were measured in control and GSTP1 expressing populations. Clonogenic survival studies of GSTP1- transfected LNCaP cells after exposure to protracted LDR were performed. Global gene expression profiling and pathway analysis were performed. GSTP1 expressing cells accumulated less oxidized DNA base damage and exhibited decreased survival compared to control LNCaP-Neo cells following oxidative injury induced by protracted LDR. Restoration of GSTP1 expression resulted in changes in modified glutathione levels that correlated with GSTP1 protein levels in response to protracted LDR-induced oxidative stress. Survival differences were not attributable to depletion of cellular glutathione stores. Gene expression profiling and pathway analysis following GSTP1 restoration suggests this protein plays a key role in regulating prostate cancer cell survival. The ubiquitous epigenetic silencing of GSTP1 in prostate cancer results in enhanced survival and accumulation of potentially promutagenic DNA adducts following exposure of cells to protracted oxidative injury suggesting a protective, anti-neoplastic function of GSTP1. The present work provides mechanistic backing to the tumor suppressor function of GSTP1 and its role in prostate carcinogenesis.

DNA damage in a patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Nephropathy- A Case Report

Objectives: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a complex, multisystem autoimmune inflammatory disease. The inflammatory response in SLE exacerbates oxidative stress which tends to promote lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and damage to DNA. Documentation of manifestation of DNA damage in SLE patients is scarce and related studies have not come to attention from this part of the world, therefore the present study showcases a case report on SLE. Methods: Assessment of DNA damage in peripheral blood leukocytes and oxidative stress biomarkers in blood sera of a 12y-old male presenting with SLE and nephropathy (on dialysis therapy) was made. Results: Basal DNA damage in PBL scored as percent DNA in tail was higher (51.48%) compared to levels (40.38%) in an age-and sex-matched healthy control. Quantitative measures of DNA damage revealed DF of 96 vs. 94 and DI of 317 vs . 208 in the case and the control, respectively. Serum lipid peroxidation as estimated from MDA level was 3x higher (1.759mol/l) compared to its level in a healthy control (0.571mol/l). OSI was slightly higher in the patient (0.134 arbitrary units) compared to that in the control (0.132 arbitrary units). The atherogenic indices were higher in the present case compared to ratios in the control. Conclusion: The results from the case report on increased oxidative stress, dyslipidemia, genetic damage and atherogenic indices support observations from earlier studies and imply onset of other complications in patients with SLE. The assessment of various blood-based biomarkers (as carried out in the present case) in SLE patients may assist in disease diagnosis, prognosis and optimal disease management.

Defective DNA repair and increased chromatin binding of DNA repair factors in Down syndrome fibroblasts

Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by genetic instability, neurodegeneration, and premature aging. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to this phenotype are not yet well understood. Here, we report that DS fibroblasts from both fetal and adult donors show the presence of oxidative DNA base damage, such as dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxodG), and activation of a DNA damage response (DDR), already during unperturbed growth conditions. DDR with checkpoint activation was indicated by histone H2AX and Chk2 protein phosphorylation, and by increased p53 protein levels. In addition, both fetal and adult DS fibroblasts were more sensitive to oxidative DNA damage induced by potassium bromate, and were defective in the removal of 8-oxodG, as compared with age-matched cells from control healthy donors. The analysis of core proteins participating in base excision repair (BER), such as XRCC1 and DNA polymerase β, showed that higher amounts of these factors were bound to chromatin in DS than in control cells, even in the absence of DNA damage. These findings occurred in concomitance with increased levels of phosphorylated XRCC1 detected in DS cells. These results indicate that DS cells exhibit a BER deficiency, which is associated with prolonged chromatin association of core BER factors.

DNA Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Their Relation With DNA Damage, DNA Repair, and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Survivors

Oxidative stress and defective DNA repair are major contributory factors in the initiation and progression of carcinogenesis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy cause oxidative DNA damage, consume antioxidant capacity, and impair DNA repair activity. These effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be contributory factors in the development of secondary malignancy in cancer survivors. Basal, H2O2-induced, and postrepair DNA damage; urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine level as a marker of oxidatively damaged DNA; and serum total antioxidant capacity were measured; XPD Lys751Gln, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, and XRCC1 Arg194Trp polymorphisms were analyzed in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors. Basal and H2O2-induced DNA damage were found to be higher in the ALL survivor group versus the control group, however, there was no significant difference between the other parameters. No association was found between the examined parameters and polymorphisms of XPD 751 and XRCC1 399 and both the groups. XRCC1 194Trp allele was found to be associated with a low level of postrepair DNA damage in the ALL survivors. In conclusion, basal DNA damage and susceptibility to oxidation are high in childhood ALL survivors. This situation which may easily lead to occurrence of a secondary cancer does not seem to be a result of deficient DNA repair.

EndoQ and EndoV work individually for damaged DNA base repair in Pyrococcus furiosus.

Base deamination is a typical form of DNA damage, and it must be repaired quickly to maintain the genome integrity of living organisms. Endonuclease Q (EndoQ), recently found in the hyperthermophilic archaea, is an enzyme that cleaves the phosphodiester bond 5' from the damaged nucleotide in the DNA strand, and may primarily function to start the repair process for the damaged bases. Endonuclease V (EndoV) also hydrolyzes the second phosphodiester bond 3' from the damaged nucleotide, although the hyperthermophilic archaeal EndoV is a strictly hypoxanthine-specific endonuclease. To understand the relationships of the EndoQ and EndoV functions in hyperthermophilic archaea, we analyzed their interactions in hypoxanthine repair. EndoQ and EndoV do not directly interact with each other in either the presence or absence of DNA. However, EndoQ and EndoV individually worked on deoxyinosine (dI)-containing DNA at each cleavage site. EndoQ has higher affinity to dI-containing DNA than EndoV, and cells produce higher amounts of EndoQ, as compared to EndoV. These data support the proposal that EndoQ primarily functions for, at least, dI-containing DNA.

Acute effects of a prooxidant herbicide on the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Screening cytotoxicity and genotoxicity endpoints.

Since recent evidence has demonstrated that many types of chemicals exhibit oxidative and/or genotoxic potential on living organisms, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and DNA damage are currently the best accepted paradigms to assess the potential hazardous biological effects of a wide range of contaminants. The goal of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of different cytotoxicity and genotoxicity responses on the model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exposed to the prooxidant herbicide paraquat. In addition to the growth endpoint, cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential and presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assayed as potential markers of cytotoxicity using flow cytometry (FCM). To study the effects of paraquat on C. reinhardtii DNA, several genotoxicity approaches were implemented for the first time in an ecotoxicological study on microalgae. Oxidative DNA base damage was analysed by measuring the oxidative DNA lesion 8-OHdG by FCM. DNA fragmentation was analysed by different methods: comet assay, and cell cycle analysis by FCM, with a particular focus on the presence of subG1-nuclei. Finally, effects on morphology of nuclei were monitored through DAPI staining. The evaluation of these endpoints showed that several physiological and biochemical parameters reacted to oxidative stress disturbances with greater sensitivity than integrative parameters such as growth rates or cell viability. The experiments revealed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity (ROS formation, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane), genotoxicity (oxidative DNA damage, DNA strand breakage, alterations in nuclear morphology), and cell cycle disturbances (subG1-nuclei, decrease of 4N population) in paraquat-treated cells. Overall, the genotoxicity results indicate that the production of ROS caused by exposure to paraquat induces oxidative DNA damage followed by DNA single- and double-strand breaks and cell cycle alterations, possibly leading to apoptosis in C. reinhardtii cells. This is supported by the observation of typical hallmarks of apoptosis, such as mitochondrial membrane depolarization, alterations in nuclear morphology and subG1 nuclei in cells exposed to the highest assayed concentrations. To our knowledge, this is the first study that provides a comprehensive analysis of oxidative DNA base damage in unicellular algal cells exposed to a prooxidant pollutant, as well as of its possible relation with other physiological effects. These results reinforce the need for additional studies on the genotoxicity of environmental pollutants on ecologically relevant organisms such as microalgae that can provide a promising basis for the characterization of potential pollutant hazards in the aquatic environment.

A case-control study of genotoxicity endpoints in patients with papillary thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing cancer types worldwide. Using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) and comet assays, we performed a case-control study of 23 untreated papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients and 23 healthy volunteers. PTC patients showed higher basal DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The CBMN assay indicated that the numbers of micronuclei, nuclear buds, and nucleoplasmic bridges among the cases were 2.67-, 2.79-, and 7.72-fold higher, respectively, than among the controls (p<0.05). Comet assay tail lengths and tail intensities were 1.20- and 1.94-fold higher, respectively (p<0.05). In additional, 14 thyroid tissues from PTC patients were probed for Raf-B and Ret expression; all samples were positive for at least one of these proteins.

Radio-adaptive response of base excision repair genes and proteins in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to gamma radiation.

Radio-adaptive response is a mechanism whereby a low-dose exposure (priming dose) induces resistance to a higher dose (challenging dose) thus significantly reducing its detrimental effects. Radiation-induced DNA damage gets repaired through various DNA repair pathways in human cells depending upon the type of lesion. The base excision repair (BER) pathway repairs radiation-induced base damage, abasic sites and single-strand breaks in cellular DNA. In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the involvement of BER genes and proteins in the radio-adaptive response in human resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Venous blood samples were collected from 20 randomly selected healthy male individuals with written informed consent. PBMC were isolated and irradiated at a priming dose of 0.1 Gy followed 4h later with a challenging dose of 2.0 Gy (primed cells). Quantitation of DNA damage was done using the alkaline comet assay immediately and expression profile of BER genes and proteins were studied 30 min after the challenging dose using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot, respectively. The overall result showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction of DNA damage in terms of percentage of DNA in tail (%T) with a priming dose of 0.1 Gy followed by a challenging dose of 2.0 Gy after 4 h. Twelve individuals showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction in %T whereas eight individuals showed marginal reduction in DNA damage that was not statistically significant. However, at the transcriptional level, BER genes such as APE1, FEN1 and LIGASE1 showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) up-regulation in both groups. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) up-regulation was also observed at the protein level for OGG1, APE1, MBD4, FEN1 and LIGASE1 in primed cells. Up-regulation of some BER genes and proteins such as APE1, FEN1 and LIGASE1 in primed cells of resting PBMC is suggestive of active involvement of the BER pathway in radio-adaptive response.

DNA damage in Fabry patients: An investigation of oxidative damage and repair

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder associated with loss of activity of the enzyme α-galactosidase A. In addition to accumulation of α-galactosidase A substrates, other mechanisms may be involved in FD pathophysiology, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Higher levels of oxidative damage to proteins and lipids in Fabry patients were previously reported. However, DNA damage by oxidative species in FD has not yet been studied. We investigated basal DNA damage, oxidative DNA damage, DNA repair capacity, and reactive species generation in Fabry patients and controls. To measure oxidative damage to purines and pyrimidines, the alkaline version of the comet assay was used with two endonucleases, formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase (FPG) and endonuclease III (EndoIII). To evaluate DNA repair, a challenge assay with hydrogen peroxide was performed. Patients presented significantly higher levels of basal DNA damage and oxidative damage to purines. Oxidative DNA damage was induced in both DNA bases by H2O2 in patients. Fabry patients presented efficient DNA repair in both assays (with and without endonucleases) as well as significantly higher levels of oxidative species (measured by dichlorofluorescein content). Even if DNA repair be induced in Fabry patients (as a consequence of continuous exposure to oxidative species), the repair is not sufficient to reduce DNA damage to control levels.

Regulation of NEIL1 protein abundance by RAD9 is important for efficient base excision repair

RAD9 participates in DNA damage-induced cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. As a member of the RAD9-HUS1-RAD1 (9-1-1) complex, it can sense DNA damage and recruit ATR to damage sites. RAD9 binding can enhance activities of members of different DNA repair pathways, including NEIL1 DNA glycosylase, which initiates base excision repair (BER) by removing damaged DNA bases. Moreover, RAD9 can act independently of 9-1-1 as a gene-specific transcription factor. Herein, we show that mouse Rad9−/− relative to Rad9+/+ embryonic stem (ES) cells have reduced levels of Neil1 protein. Also, human prostate cancer cells, DU145 and PC-3, knocked down for RAD9 demonstrate reduced NEIL1 abundance relative to controls. We found that Rad9 is required for Neil1 protein stability in mouse ES cells, whereas it regulates NEIL1 transcription in the human cells. RAD9 depletion enhances sensitivity to UV, gamma rays and menadione, but ectopic expression of RAD9 or NEIL1 restores resistance. Glycosylase/apurinic lyase activity was reduced in Rad9−/− mouse ES and RAD9 knocked-down human prostate cancer whole cell extracts, relative to controls. Neil1 or Rad9 addition restored this incision activity. Thus, we demonstrate that RAD9 regulates BER by controlling NEIL1 protein levels, albeit by different mechanisms in human prostate cancer versus mouse ES cells.

An improved method for the isolation of rat alveolar type II lung cells: Use in the Comet assay to determine DNA damage induced by cigarette smoke

Smoking is a cause of serious diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and heart disease. DNA damage is thought to be one of the mechanisms by which cigarette smoke (CS) initiates disease in the lung. Indeed, CS induced DNA damage can be measured in vitro and in vivo. The potential of the Comet assay to measure DNA damage in isolated rat lung alveolar type II epithelial cells (AEC II) was explored as a means to include a genotoxicity end-point in rodent sub-chronic inhalation studies. In this study, published AEC II isolation methods were improved to yield viable cells suitable for use in the Comet assay. The improved method reduced the level of basal DNA damage and DNA repair in isolated AEC II. CS induced DNA damage could also be quantified in isolated cells following a single or 5days CS exposure. In conclusion, the Comet assay has the potential to determine CS or other aerosol induced DNA damage in AEC II isolated from rodents used in sub-chronic inhalation studies.

Electron transfer mechanisms of DNA repair by photolyase.

Photolyase is a flavin photoenzyme that repairs two DNA base damage products induced by ultraviolet (UV) light: cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 6-4 photoproducts. With femtosecond spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis, investigators have recently made significant advances in our understanding of UV-damaged DNA repair, and the entire enzymatic dynamics can now be mapped out in real time. For dimer repair, six elementary steps have been characterized, including three electron transfer reactions and two bond-breaking processes, and their reaction times have been determined. A unique electron-tunneling pathway was identified, and the critical residues in modulating the repair function at the active site were determined. The dynamic synergy between the elementary reactions for maintaining high repair efficiency was elucidated, and the biological nature of the flavin active state was uncovered. For 6-4 photoproduct repair, a proton-coupled electron transfer repair mechanism has been revealed. The elucidation of electron transfer mechanisms and two repair photocycles is significant and provides a molecular basis for future practical applications, such as in rational drug design for curing skin cancer.

A novel endonuclease that may be responsible for damaged DNA base repair in Pyrococcus furiosus.

DNA is constantly damaged by endogenous and environmental influences. Deaminated adenine (hypoxanthine) tends to pair with cytosine and leads to the A:T→G:C transition mutation during DNA replication. Endonuclease V (EndoV) hydrolyzes the second phosphodiester bond 3′ from deoxyinosine in the DNA strand, and was considered to be responsible for hypoxanthine excision repair. However, the downstream pathway after EndoV cleavage remained unclear. The activity to cleave the phosphodiester bond 5′ from deoxyinosine was detected in a Pyrococcus furiosus cell extract. The protein encoded by PF1551, obtained from the mass spectrometry analysis of the purified fraction, exhibited the corresponding cleavage activity. A putative homolog from Thermococcus kodakarensis (TK0887) showed the same activity. Further biochemical analyses revealed that the purified PF1551 and TK0887 proteins recognize uracil, xanthine and the AP site, in addition to hypoxanthine. We named this endonuclease Endonuclease Q (EndoQ), as it may be involved in damaged base repair in the Thermococcals of Archaea.

Comparison of the genotoxic effects induced by 50 Hz extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and 1800 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in GC-2 cells.

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) have been considered to be possibly carcinogenic to humans. However, their genotoxic effects remain controversial. To make experiments controllable and results comparable, we standardized exposure conditions and explored the potential genotoxicity of 50 Hz ELF-EMF and 1800 MHz RF-EMF. A mouse spermatocyte-derived GC-2 cell line was intermittently (5 min on and 10 min off) exposed to 50 Hz ELF-EMF at an intensity of 1, 2 or 3 mT or to RF-EMF in GSM-Talk mode at the specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1, 2 or 4 W/kg. After exposure for 24 h, we found that neither ELF-EMF nor RF-EMF affected cell viability using Cell Counting Kit-8. Through the use of an alkaline comet assay and immunofluorescence against γ-H2AX foci, we found that ELF-EMF exposure resulted in a significant increase of DNA strand breaks at 3 mT, whereas RF-EMF exposure had insufficient energy to induce such effects. Using a formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG)-modified alkaline comet assay, we observed that RF-EMF exposure significantly induced oxidative DNA base damage at a SAR value of 4 W/kg, whereas ELF-EMF exposure did not. Our results suggest that both ELF-EMF and RF-EMF under the same experimental conditions may produce genotoxicity at relative high intensities, but they create different patterns of DNA damage. Therefore, the potential mechanisms underlying the genotoxicity of different frequency electromagnetic fields may be different.

Induction of DNA base damage and strand breaks in peripheral erythrocytes and the underlying mechanism in goldfish (Carassius auratus) exposed to monocrotophos.

Using goldfish (Carassius auratus) as the model animal, the present study revealed the types of the DNA damage induced by monocrotophos, a highly toxic organophosphorus pesticide, and explored the mechanism underlying the DNA-damaging effect of this pesticide. Results of the alkaline comet assay showed that global DNA damage (including single- and double-strand breaks and alkali-labile sites) in peripheral erythrocytes of goldfish, measured as olive tail moment, was significantly increased by exposure to 0.01, 0.10, and 1.00mg/L monocrotophos for 24, 48, 96, and 168h. In particular, alkali-labile sites rather than single- or double-strand breaks, distinguished by the alkaline, pH 12.1, and neutral comet assays, were mainly induced by monocrotophos at 48h. Oxidative damage in DNA bases and telomeric DNA was investigated by using the alkaline comet assay combined with endonuclease III or formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase and with fluorescence in situ hybridization, respectively. Further, glutathione peroxidase activity significantly decreased at 24h but increased at 96 and 168h, and malondialdehyde concentrations significantly increased at 48h but gradually decreased at 96 and 168h, which indicated an over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at short exposure durations, but effective scavenging at long exposure durations in the peripheral blood tissues. Accordingly, our results suggest that DNA damage induced by monocrotophos in fish blood cells is possibly due to the inhibition of ROS scavenging and resulted accumulation of ROS.

8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1-driven DNA base excision repair: role in asthma pathogenesis.

To provide both an overview and evidence of the potential cause of oxidative DNA base damage and repair signaling in chronic inflammation and histological changes associated with asthma. Asthma is initiated/maintained by immunological, genetic/epigenetic, and environmental factors. It is a world-wide health problem, as current therapies suppress symptoms rather than prevent/reverse the disease, largely due to gaps in understanding its molecular mechanisms. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage are inseparable phenomena, but their molecular roles in asthma pathogenesis are unclear. It was found that among oxidatively modified DNA bases, 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) is one of the most abundant, and its levels in DNA and body fluids are considered a biomarker of ongoing asthmatic processes. Free 8-oxoG forms a complex with 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase-1 and activates RAS-family GTPases that induce gene expression to mobilize innate and adaptive immune systems, along with genes regulating airway hyperplasia, hyper-responsiveness, and lung remodeling in atopic and nonatopic asthma. DNA's integrity must be maintained to prevent mutation, so its continuous repair and downstream signaling 'fuel' chronic inflammatory processes in asthma and form the basic mechanism whose elucidation will allow the development of new drug targets for the prevention/reversal of lung diseases.

8-oxoG DNA Glycosylase-1 Inhibition Sensitizes Neuro-2a Cells to Oxidative DNA Base Damage Induced by 900 MHz Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation

Background/Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the in vitro putative genotoxicity during exposure of Neuro-2a cells to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) with or without silencing of 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1). Methods: Neuro-2a cells treated with or without OGG1 siRNA were exposed to 900 MHz Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Talk signals continuously at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0, 0.5, 1 or 2 W/kg for 24 h. DNA strand breakage and DNA base damage were measured by the alkaline comet assay and a modified comet assay using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG), respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and cell viability were monitored using the non-fluorescent probe 2, 7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and CCK-8 assay. Results: Exposure to 900 MHz RF-EMFs with insufficient energy could induce oxidative DNA base damage in Neuro-2a cells. These increases were concomitant with similar increases in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Without OGG1 siRNA, 2 W/kg RF-EMFs induced oxidative DNA base damage in Neuro-2a cells. Interestingly, with OGG1 siRNA, RF-EMFs could cause DNA base damage in Neuro-2a cells as low as 1 W/kg. However, neither DNA strand breakage nor altered cell viability was observed. Conclusion: Even if further studies remain conducted we support the hypothesis that OGG1 is involved in the process of DNA base repair and may play a pivotal role in protecting DNA bases from RF-EMF induced oxidative damage.

Physical exercise and redox balance in type 2 diabetics: effects of moderate training on biomarkers of oxidative stress and DNA damage evaluated through comet assay.

Objective. Hyperglycemia leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in type 2 diabetes, which reduces cellular antioxidant defenses and induces DNA lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on redox homeostasis and DNA oxidative damage of exercise training in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with nondiabetic individuals. Methods and Results. 12 sedentary type 2 diabetic males (62.1 ± 4.3 yrs) and 12 sedentary healthy males (61.7 ± 3.9 yrs) were exposed to 4-month moderate training, 3 times per week, to evaluate the effect on plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress malondialdehyde and antioxidant status (GSSG, GSH/GSSG, and ascorbic acid) as well as basal and H2O2-induced DNA damage trough alkaline comet assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes. After training, glutathione and ascorbic acid levels increased in both groups, but only in diabetics the malondialdehyde as well as the DNA damage decreased. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates for the first time that moderate exercise training is not only effective in improving the redox homeostasis, through an increase of the endogenous antioxidant defences in healthy as well as in diabetic patients, but also, specifically in diabetic patients, effective in lowering the susceptibility to oxidative DNA damage and the lipid peroxidation levels.

The impact of six months strength training, nutritional supplementation or cognitive training on DNA damage in institutionalised elderly.

Aging and its aligned loss of muscle mass are associated with higher levels of DNA damage and deteriorated antioxidant defence. To improve the body's overall resistance against DNA damage, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is desirable, especially in the elderly. As people age, many have to change their residence from home living to an institution, which is often accompanied by malnutrition, depression and inactivity. The current study aimed at investigating the effect of a 6-month progressive resistance training (RT), with or without protein and vitamin supplementation (RTS), or cognitive training (CT), on DNA strand breaks in 105 Austrian institutionalised women and men (65-98 years). DNA damage was detected by performing the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. Physical fitness was assessed using the chair rise, the 6-min-walking and the handgrip strength test. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) were analysed. Basal DNA damage (lysis) increased significantly after 3 months of intervention in the RT group (T1 - T2 + 20%, P = 0.001) and the RTS group (T1 - T2 + 17%, P = 0.002) and showed a similar tendency in the CT group (T1 - T2 + 21%, P = 0.059). %DNA in tail decreased in cells exposed to H2O2 significantly in the RT (T1 - T2 - 24%, P = 0.030; T1 - T3 - 18%, P = 0.019) and CT (T1 - T2 - 21%, P = 0.004; T1 - T3 - 13%, P = 0.038) groups. Only RT and RTS groups showed significant differences overtime in enzyme activity (RT + 22% CAT-activity T1 - T3, P = 0.013; RTS + 6% SOD-activity T2 - T3, P = 0.005). Contrary to the time effects, no difference between groups was detected for any parameter at any time point. Our results suggest that both CT and RT improve resistance against H2O2 induced DNA damage and that a nutritional supplement has no further protective effect in institutionalised elderly.

Mathematical modelling of p53 basal dynamics and DNA damage response

The p53 tumour suppressor protein is a transcription factor that activates genes that result in cell cycle arrest, DNA damage repair, senescence or apoptosis. Recent individual cell studies have indicated that p53 activation is highly regulated in response to stressed conditions and non-stressed (normal proliferating) conditions in cells. The aim of this research is to investigate the design principles behind the precise regulation of p53 activation, under normal and stressed conditions. We extended the Sun et al. (2011) mathematical model of delay differential equations by incorporating the most recently found molecular interactions and hypotheses. In particular, we found that the core regulatory network consists of ATM, Mdm2, MdmX, Wip1 and p53. Our model of the p53 core regulatory feedback mechanisms can reproduce a series of repeated pulses in stressed conditions with appropriate induction of cell cycle arrest, and one or two spontaneous pulses (basal dynamics) in non-stressed conditions and these are consistent with the recent experimental findings. Our results show that the p53 spontaneous pulses are due to intrinsic DNA double strand breaks in normal proliferating cells, and p53 auto-regulation (positive feedback loop) allows threshold activation of p53 in generating these pulses. It also shows that the p53 dynamics are excitable; bifurcation analysis revealed a spectrum of p53 behaviour under stressed and non-stressed (normal) conditions on the basis of stress signal activation rate, and characterised p53 dynamics as Type II excitability. Additionally, the model makes testable predictions on pharmacological intervention to reactivate p53. Importantly, we reveal novel findings on the mechanism of threshold activation of p53 pulsatile and oscillatory dynamics that are important for its physiological function as the guardian of the genome.