title: Association between urinary excretion of cortisol and markers of oxidatively damaged DNA and RNA in humans.
abstract: Chronic psychological stress is associated with accelerated aging, but the underlying biological mechanisms are not known. Prolonged elevations of the stress hormone cortisol is suspected to play a critical role. Through its actions, cortisol may potentially induce oxidatively generated damage to cellular constituents such as DNA and RNA, a phenomenon which has been implicated in aging processes. We investigated the relationship between 24 h excretion of urinary cortisol and markers of oxidatively generated DNA and RNA damage, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine, in a sample of 220 elderly men and women (age 65-83 years). We found a robust association between the excretion of cortisol and the oxidation markers (R(2) = 0.15, P<0.001 for both markers). Individuals in the highest quartile of cortisol excretion had a 57% and 61% higher median excretion of the DNA and RNA oxidation marker, respectively, than individuals in the lowest quartile. The finding adds support to the hypothesis that cortisol-induced damage to DNA/RNA is an explanatory factor in the complex relation between stress, aging and disease.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. anders.01.joergensen@regionh.dk
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joergensen
authors.forename: Kasper
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broedbaek
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weimann
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Semba
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.forename: Martin B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Joergensen
authors.forename: Henrik E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Poulsen
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006151:Guanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006151:Guanosine; C046215:8-hydroxyguanosine; D012313:RNA; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; D006854:Hydrocortisone