Abstract
The spontaneous frequency of genetic damage and the possible relationship of this damage to total radical-trapping antioxidant potential(TRAP) and antioxidant vitamins, including plasma levels of $\alpha$-carotene, $\beta$-carotene, cryptoxanthin, retinol, $\alpha$-tocopherol and ${\gamma}$-tocopherol in humans were investigated in 57 subjects using two indices of genetic damage, SCE & HFC frequency. The mean of SCE and HFC frequencies were weakly correlated with plasma TRAP(r=-0.305, p<0.1 for SCEs: r=-0.297, p<0.1 for HFCs, respectively), but those were strongly negatively correlated with plasma $\beta$-carotence(r=-0.385, p<0.01 for SCEs : r=-0.392, p<0.01 for HFCs) and cryptoxanthin(r=-0.312, p<0.05 for SCEs : r=0.335, p<0.05 for HFCs, respectively) levels in the subjects. However, those DNA damage markers including SCE and HFC did not correlate with either plasma $\alpha$-carotene, $\alpha$-tocopherol or retinol concentrations. The mean of SCE and HFC frequencies were positively correlated with plasma ${\gamma}$-tocopherol level(r=0.421, p<0.01 for SCEs : r=0.399, p<0.01 for HFCs, respectively). These findings indicate that increased cytogenetic DNA changes, as determined by SCE and HFC frequencies are possibly associated with generation of free radicals in lymphocytes and decreased plasma antioxidant vitamin($\beta$-carotene and cryptoxanthin) status in the subjects. (Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 401~08, 2001)