Assessing DNA damage-induced risks
The presence of etheno-DNA adducts, abnormalities on the surface of the DNA molecules thought to be caused by oxidative stress, could signal the onset of malignancy in many human cancers. So far, dietary fatty acids had been considered as the major cause of etheno-DNA adduct formation; new data, however, favours the link between changes in estrogen metabolism and etheno-DNA adducts. Research from the DKFZ - German Cancer Research Center on samples from premenopausal women revealed high correlations among different types of etheno-DNA adducts and also showed highly variable levels of 4-hydroxy-E2. The variability in 4-hydroxy-E2, the main catechol estrogen, could imply a link between its metabolism and DNA damage in the form of etheno-DNA adducts. This chain of events is likely to play a role in the etiology of breast cancer. In spite of the positive indications emanating from DKFZ, regarding the potential for early-stage detection of cancer, quantifying the levels of etheno-DNA adducts in blood samples still remains a challenge. The DKFZ has conducted further work on this aspect of the project and has devised an ultra-sensitive method for the detection of etheno-DNA adducts. The method is based on the formation of an additional type of adduct within the laboratory setting. Researchers have observed that the levels of this adduct in the cells are positively correlated to the presence of etheno-DNA adducts. What is noteworthy, however, is that etheno-DNA adducts levels are one order of magnitude lower. In other words, the method allows for the detection of comparatively low levels of etheno-DNA adducts by detecting the correlated high levels of the additional DNA adducts. The research findings support the implied links between the etheno-DNA adducts, DNA damage and cancer formation. It is likely that this knowledge might be potentially be utilized in the development of novel diagnostics in the area of cancer.
