Assessment of peripheral DNA damage by alkaline comet assay in maintenance hemodialysis subjects with hepatitis C infection.

ABSTRACT

Despite the high prevalence of hepatitis C infection among hemodialysis subjects, there is no information concerning the DNA damage of hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects. We aimed to find out if there is any additional effect of hepatitis C infection on peripheral DNA damage in maintenance hemodialysis subjects. Fifteen hepatitis C (+) and 22 hepatitis C (-) hemodialysis subjects, 21 hepatitis C subjects without renal disease, and 22 healthy controls were enrolled. Peripheral DNA damage was assayed using alkaline comet assay. Median DNA damage levels of the study groups were as follows hepatitis C (+) maintenance hemodialysis subjects, 88 (0-232); hepatitis C (-) maintenance hemodialysis subjects, 58 (0-228); hepatitis C (+) subjects without renal disease, 112 (44-252); controls, 26 (0-72). DNA damage level was significantly higher among hepatitis C (+) subjects without renal disease than hepatitis C (-) maintenance hemodialysis subjects and healthy controls (both p<0.05/6). Both maintenance hemodialysis subjects with and without HCV infection had significantly higher DNA damage level than healthy controls (both p<0.05/6). DNA damage level was comparable between hepatitis C (+) subjects without renal disease and HCV (+) hemodialysis subjects, and between hemodialysis subjects with and without hepatitis C infection (all p>0.05/6). Linear regression analysis revealed that hepatitis C infection was the only independent factor in predicting the peripheral DNA damage (p<0.05, beta=0.395). Each one of end-stage renal disease and hepatitis C infection significantly increases DNA damage level. However, in hemodialysis subjects, hepatitis C infection does not cause significant additional increase in DNA damage level, and it may be partly due to protective effect of hemodialysis on hepatitis C infection.