Endogenous 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is a product of a reaction between a hydroxyl radical and deoxyguanosine groups and can cause transversion mutations GC>TA which lead to polymorphisms and accelerated shortening of telomeres. It is used both as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for oxidative stress-related illnesses. It is excreted from the body with urine, which allows for a non-invasive sampling and measuring of the concentration.
Glutathione peroxidases are a family of enzymes which protect the organism from oxidative damage by reducing hydrogen peroxide to water. A decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity as a consequence of genetic mutations leads to increased oxidative stress in the body and the illnesses caused by it, including different cancers. Glutathione reductases reduce the oxidized form of glutathione – GSSG back into its reduced state – GSH, which works as an antioxidant in cells and therefore provides a defense against oxidative stress.
The goal of this Master’s thesis was to compare the methods of RFLP and real-time PCR as well as to find a possible connection between the polymorphisms rs1050450 G<A of the glutathione-peroxidase gene (GPx) and rs2978663 A<G of the glutathione disulfide-reductase gene (GSR) and an increase of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. To achieve this, we used Real-time PCR with TaqMan probes to determine the genotypes of both polymorphisms in 175 samples collected from pregnant women aged 19 to 44 that live in Slovenia or Croatia and took part in the PHIME project, for which we also had urine concentrations of 8-OHdG.
By comparing the RFLP and real-time PCR methods for rs2978663 A<G polymorphism, we determined that the results are identical while using the method of real-time PCR is more sensible as it is faster, cheaper and includes less steps, which allows for less possibilities of human error. Using statistical analysis, we were not able to confirm an influence of polymorphisms on urinary 8-OHdG concentration, which was used as a marker of oxidative stress. We concluded that urinary 8-OHdG is an independent marker of oxidative stress which is not related to the presence or absence of polymorphisms rs1050450 and rs2978663 in the genes for Glutathione-peroxidase and Glutathione disulfide-reductase.
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