PUFAs in serum cholesterol ester and oxidative DNA damage in Japanese men and women

Background: PUFAs are susceptible to lipid peroxidation and play a role in inflammation, both of which can induce oxidative stress. However, the relation of PUFA to oxidative DNA damage in humans is elusive. Objective: We examined the association between concentrations of circulatory PUFAs and urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) in Japanese men and women. Design: The subjects were 495 participants (290 men and 205 women) in a cross-sectional study in 2 municipal offices in Japan. Serum cholesterol ester (CE) and phospholipid fatty acid composition were measured by gas-liquid chromatography. Urinary 8-oxoGua concentrations were measured by HPLC, and 8-oxoGua values for each tertile of PUFA after adjustment for covariates were calculated by multiple regression. Results: Urinary 8-oxoGua concentrations increased with increasing concentrations of n-3 (omega-3) PUFAs, EPA, and DHA in serum CE (P-trend = 0.001, 0.01, and 0.009, respectively), whereas they decreased with increasing concentrations of n-6 PUFAs and linoleic acid (P-trend = 0.02 and 0.051, respectively). Conclusion: Oxidative DNA damage may be greater with higher concentrations of long-chain n-3 PUFAs but lower with higher concentrations of n-6 (omega-6) PUFAs.