title: Blood micronutrients and DNA damage in children.
abstract: METHODS
  Maintenance of normal cellular phenotype depends largely on accurate DNA replication and repair. DNA damage causes gene mutations and predisposes to cancer and other chronic diseases. Growing evidence indicates that nutritional factors are associated with DNA damage in adults; here, we investigate these associations in children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study among 462 healthy children 3, 6, and 9 years of age. Blood was collected and micronutrient levels were measured. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay was used to measure chromosomal DNA damage (micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds) in lymphocytes. Cell apoptosis, necrosis, and the nuclear division index were also measured. Nine loci in genes involved in folate metabolism and DNA repair were genotyped. Data were analyzed using linear regression with adjustment for potential confounders. Plasma calcium was positively associated with micronuclei and necrosis, and α-tocopherol negatively associated with apoptosis, nuclear division index, and nucleoplasmic bridges; lutein was positively associated with nucleoplasmic bridges. α-tocopherol was positively associated with necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA damage in healthy children may be influenced by blood micronutrient levels and certain genotypes. Further investigation of associations between nutritional status and genomic integrity in children is needed to shed additional light on potential mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Greenop
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Padmaja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramankutty
authors.affiliation: Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: de Klerk
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Research Assets Division, Sax Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Almond
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: O'Callaghan
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fenech
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005287:Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014904:Western Australia
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D018977:Micronutrients; C111241:methionine synthase reductase; D005287:Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase; C573423:MTHFR protein, human; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
keywords: Children; Cytotoxicity; DNA damage; Micronuclei; Micronutrient levels