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SHORT COMMUNICATION
Products of DNA, Protein and
Lipid Oxidative Damage in Relation to Vitamin C Plasma
Concentration
M. KRAJČOVIČOVÁ-KUDLÁČKOVÁ, M. DUŠINSKÁ, M. VALACHOVIČOVÁ, P.
BLAŽÍČEK1, V. PAUKOVÁ
Research Base of the Slovak Medical University, Institute of
Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava and 1Hospital
of Defense Ministry, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Received February 2, 2005
Accepted April 22, 2005
On-line available May 24, 2005
Summary
Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of
numerous chronic age-related free radical-induced diseases.
Improved antioxidant status minimizes oxidative damage to DNA,
proteins, lipids and other biomolecules. Diet-derived
antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and
related plant pigments are important in antioxidative defense
and maintaining health. The results of long-term epidemiological
and clinical studies suggest that protective vitamin C plasma
concentration for minimum risk of free radical disease is higher
than 50 μmol/l. Products of oxidative damage to DNA (DNA strand
breaks with oxidized purines and pyrimidines), proteins
(carbonyls) and lipids (conjugated dienes of fatty acids,
malondialdehyde) were estimated in a group of apparently healthy
adult non-smoking population in dependence on different vitamin
C plasma concentrations. Under conditions of protective plasma
vitamin C concentrations (>50 μmol/l) significantly lower values
of DNA, protein and lipid oxidative damage were found in
comparison with the vitamin C-deficient group (<50 μmol/l). The
inhibitory effect of higher fruit and vegetable consumption
(leading to higher vitamin C intake and higher vitamin C plasma
concentrations) on oxidation of DNA, proteins and lipids is also
expressed by an inverse significant correlation between plasma
vitamin C and products of oxidative damage. The results suggest
an important role of higher and frequent consumption of
protective food (fruit, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds
and cereal grains) in prevention of free radical disease.
Key words
Vitamin C • DNA damage • Protein carbonyls • Lipid peroxidation
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