Oxidative Damage to Nuclear DNA in Hyperthyroid Rat Liver: Inability of Vitamin C to Prevent the Damage

The effects of hyperthyroidism on oxidative DNA damage in liver tissue and modification by vitamin C supplementation were investigated in rats. Animals were rendered hyperthyroid by administration of L-thyroxine (0.4 mg/100 g food) for 25 d. In the plasma samples, T(3), T(4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured by radioimmunoassay and ascorbate spectrophotometrically. Oxidative damage to hepatic nuclear DNA was determined by measuring deoxy-guanosine (dG) and 8-oxodG by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector electrochemical detection (HPLC-DAD-ECD). In hyperthyroidism, 8-oxodG/(10(5) dG) levels were significantly higher and plasma vitamin C levels lower than in control rats. The results of this experimental study show that oxidative damage to hepatic nuclear DNA increases in the hyperthyroid state and that vitamin C was not effective in preventing this damage.