Oxidative DNA base damage, antioxidant enzyme activities and selenium status in highly iodine-deficient goitrous children

The objective of this study was to investigate oxidative DNA damage, and the levels of antioxidant enzymes (AOE) and selenium (Se) in relation to iodine deficiency and/or goiter in children. The study was performed in a group of goitrous high school children (15-18 years of age) (n=14) with severe or moderate iodine deficiency. Thyroid hormones (TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3, TT3), Urinary iodine (UI) and plasma Se levels, and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were determined and compared with those of a control group consisting of non-goitrous high school children (n=14) with normal UI levels or mild iodine deficiency. In the goitrous group, concentrations of FT4, TT4, plasma Se and UI, and activities of GSHPx and SOD were found to be significantly lower. Six typical hydroxyl radical-induced base lesions in genomic DNA of peripheral blood were identified and quantified by gas chromatography/isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (GC/IDMS), and higher levels of DNA base lesions were observed in the goitrous group. The results suggest that highly iodine-deficient goitrous children may be under oxidative stress, which may lead to greater level of oxidative damage to DNA. This study supports the evidence for the reported relationship between iodine deficiency and the increased incidence of thyroid malignancies.