Effect of age, smoking and other lifestyle factors on urinary 7‐methylguanine and 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine

Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and 7-methylguanine (m7Gua) were measured by a column-switching high performance liquid chromatography method as markers of oxidative and methylating DNA damage, respectively. We investigated the associations between urinary 8-OH-dG or m7Gua and various lifestyle and demographic factors, such as age and sex. The urinary 8-OH-dG excretion level was positively correlated with cigarette smoking, but inversely correlated with fruit consumption, physical activity and total energy consumed per day. A multiple regression analysis revealed that daily physical activity and healthy meal combinations decreased the urinary 8-OH-dG level, whereas alcohol consumption increased it. In terms of the urinary m7Gua measurement, cigarette smoking, age and consumption of meat, fish, egg, soybean, etc. were positively correlated with the urinary m7Gua level, whereas body weight, BMI, physical activity, and dietary index score, which indicates good nutritional balance, were negatively correlated with the amount of m7Gua. Based on a multiple regression analysis, cigarette smoking and age correlated with the m7Gua level, while high BMI and healthy meal combinations have significant reducing effects on m7Gua level. Therefore, the urinary m7Gua level is considered to be a useful marker of DNA methylation, not only from smoking, but also from aging and unhealthy dietary habits.