Background level of 8-oxo-2-deoxyguanosine in lymphocyte DNA does not correlate with the concentration of antioxidant vitamins in blood plasma

An tioxidantvita mins, being effective free radical scavengers, can protect cellular DNA from ox i da tive dam age. Therefore, in the pres ent study we re port on the re la- tion ship be tween basal level of 8-oxo-2 -deoxyguanosine in hu man lym pho cyte DNA and the concentration of antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E). The average level of 8-oxo-2 -deoxyguanosine in lymphocytes of the studied group (15 males and 20 fe­males) was 9.57 per 106 dG mol e cules. The en dog e nous level of ascor bic acid (vi ta min C) in the plasma was, on av er age, 56.78 uM, while the mean con cen tra tions of retinol (vi ta min A) and α-tocopherol (vi ta min E) were 1.24 uM and 25.74 uM, re spec tively. No correlations were found between individual 8-oxo-2 -deoxyguanosine levels in lymphocyte DNA and en dog e nous con cen tra tion of the vi ta mins.