Endogenous Oxidative DNA Base Damage in Lymphocytes of Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Rouben M. Arutyunyan1, Andrew Collins2, Galina G. Hovhannisyan1, Elena Ghazanchyan1, and Armen K. Nersesyan1

1 State University, Yerevan, Armenia
2 Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, UK

Corresponding author: Dr. Rouben M. Arutyunyan
    Department of Genetics and Cytology
    State University
    1 A. Manoukian St
    Yerevan 25, Armenia
    Telephone: +3741-552352
    Fax number: +3741-554641
    E-mail address: genetik@ysu.am

Key words:
Comet assay, familial Mediterranean fever, DNA oxidation

CEJOEM 2002, Vol.8. No.4.:283–288

Abstract:
The levels of DNA damage in groups of 10 patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and 10 matched controls were compared using the comet assay; DNA strand breaks, oxidized pyrimidines (endonuclease III-sensitive sites) and altered purines (sites sensitive to formamidopyrimidine glycosylase) were measured. No difference was observed in the background DNA damage in cells of both groups. Both enzymes significantly increased the level of DNA breaks compared to corresponding controls, but the difference between the corresponding controls of FMF patients and healthy subjects was not statistically significant. This observation, i.e., the absence of difference in levels of DNA oxidation between the cells of FMF patients and healthy subjects, in spite of the published data on increased levels of oxidative stress in the cells of the former requires further investigations.

Received:  11 March 2003
Accepted:  29 April 2003
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