Effects of green tea consumption on oxidative stress and DNA repair in hospital staff exposed to low dose ionizing radiation

Abstract

Abstract Ionizing radiation (IR) is known to induce the formation of reactive oxygen species, which are linked to chronic diseases. Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage worldwide. Tea consumption was demonstrated to have ameliorative effects in subjects with chronic diseases, which were explained by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This cross-sectional study to evaluate the potential benefits of green tea consumption on oxidative stress and DNA repair induced by occupational exposure to IR. A cohort of hospital workers exposed to occupational levels of IR were divided into two groups based on their tea consumption. Peripheral blood cell count were counted by a automated Coulter Counter. Markers of oxidative stress and inflammatory were detected commercial kit. DNA repair gene expression was detected by RT-PCR.The subjects in the no tea-consuming group presented with significantly decreased plasma levels of total antioxidant content (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared to the tea drinking group. In contrast, the non-tea-drinking group showed significantly increased plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), indicating oxidative stress at the tissue and DNA levels, respectively. The Tea Group subjects showed significantly lower plasma levels of C-reactive protein and TNF-α compared with the No Tea Group. However, the expressions of DNA repair genes (OGG1 and XRCC1) were not significantly different between two groups. In conclusion, green tea consumption might be a novel method for decreasing levels of oxidative stress in workers exposed to low levels of IR.