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

Antioxidant vitamins, being effective free radical scavengers, can protect cellular DNA from oxidative damage. Therefore, in the present study we report on the relationship between basal level of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in human lymphocyte 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 molecules. The endogenous level of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the plasma was, on average, 56.78 μM, while the mean concentrations of retinol (vitamin A) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) were 1.24 μM and 25.74 μM, respectively. No correlations were found between individual 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in lymphocyte DNA and endogenous concentration of the vitamins.