Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in the genesis and perpetuation of cancer: role of lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and repair

Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2006 Sep;391(5):499-510. doi: 10.1007/s00423-006-0073-1. Epub 2006 Aug 15.

Abstract

Background and aims: Chronic inflammation, induced by biological, chemical, and physical factors, was associated with increased risk of human cancer at various sites. Chronic inflammatory processes induce oxidative/nitrosative stress and lipid peroxidation (LPO), thereby generating excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and DNA-reactive aldehydes. Miscoding etheno- and propano-modified DNA bases are generated inter alia by reaction of DNA with these major LPO products. Steady-state levels of LPO-derived (etheno-) DNA adducts in organs affected by persistent inflammatory processes were investigated as potential lead markers for assessing progression of inflammatory cancer-prone diseases.

Results: Using ultrasensitive and specific detection methods for the analysis of human tissues, cells, and urine, etheno-DNA adduct levels were found to be significantly elevated in the affected organs of subjects with chronic pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. Patients with alcohol-related liver diseases showed excess hepatic DNA damage progressively increasing from hepatitis, fatty liver, to liver cirrhosis. Ethenodeoxyadenosine excreted after DNA repair in urine of hepatitis B virus-related chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients was increased up to 90-fold. Putative mechanisms that may control DNA damage in inflamed tissues including impaired or imbalanced DNA repair pathways are reviewed.

Conclusion: Persistent oxidative/nitrosative stress and excess LPO are induced by inflammatory processes in a self-perpetuating process and cause progressive accumulation of DNA damage in target organs. Together with deregulation of cell homeostasis, the resulting genetic changes act as driving force in chronic inflammation-associated human disease pathogenesis. Thus steady-state levels of DNA damage caused by ROS, RNS, and LPO end products provide promising molecular signatures for risk prediction and potential targets and biomarkers for preventive measures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Disease
  • DNA Adducts / chemistry
  • DNA Adducts / metabolism
  • DNA Damage*
  • DNA Repair
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / complications*
  • Lipid Peroxidation*
  • Liver Diseases / complications
  • Liver Diseases / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • DNA Adducts