Sister chromatid exchange and micronucleus studies in patients with Behçet's disease.
BACKGROUND
Genetic factors that predispose individuals to Behçet's disease (BD) are considered to play important roles in the development of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine, by counting sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) frequencies, whether DNA damage have an effect on the pathogenesis of BD. Furthermore, our aim was to show if there is an association between oxidative stress and chromosome instability in BD.


METHODS
We analyzed lymphocytes from patients with BD (16 in active and 14 in inactive periods) and 20 healthy controls for SCE and MN frequencies. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) level, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) count were determined in the all subjects.


RESULTS
The SCE and MN frequencies were significantly higher in both the active and inactive period patients than in the controls (p < 0.00001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), and the MDA level was significantly higher in both the active and inactive period patients than in the controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). In contrast, the SOD and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower in both the active and inactive period patients than in the controls (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that increased plasma MDA level and decreased plasma GSH-Px and SOD levels reflect the increased levels of oxidative stress in BD patients, and this situation may impair genetic stability in BD patients.
Karaman
Ali
A
Department of Medical Genetics, Erzurum Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey. alikaramandr@hotmail.com
Kadi
Melek
M
Kara
Fatih
F
D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase