Lipid peroxidation status, somatic mutations and micronuclei in peripherallymphocytes: a case observation on a possible interrelationship

A controlled dietary study was conducted in healthy female volunteers and r eported elsewhere [1]. In a subset of samples four different biomarkers wer e analyzed: plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and urinary 8-isoprostaglan din-F-2 alpha were measured as markers for lipid peroxidation. The: frequen cy of hprt (hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase) mutants and mi cronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes were analyzed as indicators of ge notoxic effects. One of the ten individuals showed extremely high backgroun d levels in all of the four endpoints measured. This case observation raise s the possibility that life style factors and dietary habits affect the lev el of DNA reactive lipid peroxidation products, which in turn increase muta genic and cytogenetic effects. A possible association between these biomark ers, particularly in relation to dietary fat intake and antioxidant status, should now be studied in a larger trial. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.