Relationships between perceived workload, stress and oxidative DNA damage

Objectives: The present study was performed to investigate the relationship between work-related factors, including psychological stress, and the form ation of a type of oxidative DNA damage, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), in order to examine their possible risk factor for occupational carcinogen esis. Methods: A total of 54 healthy workers (27 male and 27 female, aged 4 1.2 +/- 12.5 years) in a company were investigated for 8-OH-dG levels in th e peripheral blood leukocytes at the time of a questionnaire survey regardi ng several factors, such as working hours, workload, fatigue, sleep, psycho logical stress and the prospect of alleviating it. Subjects were limited to nonsmoking and non-drinking workers to exclude the influence of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking, which have been reported to have associations with the formation of 8-OH-dG. Results: The levels of 8-OH-de in female su bjects were significantly related to the perceived workload (F = 5.56, P = 0.010), the perceived psychological stress (F = 6.15, P = 0.007), and the i mpossibility of alleviating stress (F = 3.82, P = 0.048). No associations w ere observed in male subjects. Conclusions: Psychological stress and percei ved overwork appear to be related to the pathogenesis of cancer via the for mation of 8-OH-dG, particularly in female workers.