Exposure to indoor background radiation and urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, a marker of oxidative DNA damage

Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Mar;107(3):213-5. doi: 10.1289/ehp.99107213.

Abstract

We investigated whether exposure to indoor [gamma]-radiation and radon might be associated with enough free radical formation to increase urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a sensitive marker of DNA damage, due to a hydroxyl radical attack at the C8 of guanine. Indoor radon and [gamma]-radiation levels were measured in 32 dwellings for 6 months by solid-state nuclear track detectors and thermoluminescent dosimeters, respectively. Urine samples for 8-OHdG determinations were obtained from 63 healthy adult subjects living in the measured dwellings. An overall tendency toward increasing levels of 8-OHdG with increasing levels of radon and [gamma]-radiation was seen in the females, presumably due to their estimated longer occupancy in the dwellings measured. Different models were considered for females, with the steepest slopes obtained for [gamma]-radiation with a coefficient of 0.500 (log nmol/l of 8-OHdG for each unit increase of [gamma]-radiation on a log scale) (p<0.01), and increasing to 0.632 (p = 0.035), but with larger variance, when radon was included in the model. In conclusion, there seems to be an effect of indoor radioactivity on the urinary excretion of 8-OHdG for females, who are estimated to have a higher occupancy in the dwellings measured than for males, for whom occupational and other agents may also influence 8-OHdG excretion. ree radicals; [gamma]-radiation; radon.

MeSH terms

  • 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Air Pollution, Radioactive / adverse effects*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Biomarkers / urine
  • DNA Damage / radiation effects*
  • Deoxyguanosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxyguanosine / urine
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Free Radicals / radiation effects
  • Gamma Rays / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Life Style
  • Linear Models
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oxidative Stress / radiation effects
  • Radon / adverse effects*
  • Residence Characteristics / classification
  • Sex Distribution
  • Smoking / adverse effects

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Free Radicals
  • 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
  • Deoxyguanosine
  • Radon