O6-Alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase activity in peripheral leukocytes, smoking and risk of lung cancer

Cancer Letters
Paolo BoffettaJanet Hall

Abstract

The level of activity of O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (AGT), a DNA repair enzyme, in blood lymphocytes may be a marker of susceptibility to lung cancer. We measured the AGT activity level, expressed as pmoles of repaired bases/mg protein, in leukocytes of 153 lung cancer cases (of whom 80 were never smokers) and 106 controls (76 never smokers) enrolled in eight centres from seven countries. Subjects were interviewed with respect to active smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Among never smokers, the odds ratios (ORs) of lung cancer were 1.3 (95% confidence interval 0.5-3.9), 1.5 (0.6-4.1) and 1.4 (0.5-3.8) in quartiles of decreasing AGT activity level, as compared to the upper quartile (P value of test for linear trend 0.6). Corresponding ORs among smokers were 3.4 (0.9-13), 2.0 (0.5-8.3) and 0.4 (0.1-1.6) (P value of test for linear trend 0.4). No interaction was suggested between AGT activity level and either cumulative smoking or exposure to ETS. Reduced AGT activity was not clearly associated with increased lung cancer risk in either smokers or non-smokers. However, the small size of our study argues for a prudent interpretation of our results.

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Citations

May 8, 2007·DNA Repair·Anthony E PeggNatalia A Loktionova
Nov 13, 2007·Biochemical Pharmacology·Qingming FangAnthony E Pegg
Feb 1, 2005·The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry·Young S Kim, J A Milner
Aug 20, 2003·International Journal of Cancer. Journal International Du Cancer·Hongbing ShenQingyi Wei
Feb 16, 2006·International Journal of Cancer. Journal International Du Cancer·Andrew C PoveyMauro F Santibáñez Koref
Oct 16, 2002·Oncogene·Ross C BrownsonLaura E Caisley
Feb 20, 2004·Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·Catherine CohetPaolo Boffetta

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