Skip to main content

Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wei, Q; Shen, H; Wang, L-E; Duphorne, CM; Pillow, PC; Guo, Z; Qiao, Y; Spitz, MR
Published in: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev
October 2003

Both reduced DNA repair capacity (DRC) and folate deficiency are associated with increased cancer risk. Furthermore, folate is involved in DNA repair through de novo DNA synthesis and methylation. To determine whether low dietary folate intake is associated with low cellular DRC in humans, we assessed total dietary folate intake using a food frequency questionnaire in 559 non-Hispanic white cancer-free subjects enrolled from 1995 through 2001 as controls for ongoing molecular epidemiological studies from among enrollees in a community-based multispecialty physician practice in the Houston metropolitan area. We assessed cellular DRC using the host-cell reactivation assay that measures nucleotide-excision repair capacity in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The distribution of DRC was approximately normal in this study population. In univariate analysis, subjects in the lowest tertile of total dietary folate intake (<170 microg/1000 kcal/day) exhibited a significant reduction (-18%) in DRC compared with those in the upper tertile (>225 microg/1000 kcal/day; P < 0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, calorie-adjusted total folate intake remained an independent predictor of DRC (P < 0.001). Additional stratification analysis indicated that this association was more pronounced in those who did not use folate supplementation (n = 230; P < 0.001) compared with those who did (n = 329; P = 0.177). Our findings suggest that low dietary folate intake is associated with suboptimal cellular DRC. Once replicated by other investigators, this finding has public health implications by reinforcing the need for folate supplementation or dietary modification for the at-risk population.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev

ISSN

1055-9965

Publication Date

October 2003

Volume

12

Issue

10

Start / End Page

963 / 969

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Folic Acid Deficiency
  • Female
  • Epidemiology
  • Dietary Supplements
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wei, Q., Shen, H., Wang, L.-E., Duphorne, C. M., Pillow, P. C., Guo, Z., … Spitz, M. R. (2003). Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 12(10), 963–969.
Wei, Qingyi, Hongbing Shen, Li-E Wang, Cherie M. Duphorne, Patricia C. Pillow, Zhaozheng Guo, Yawei Qiao, and Margaret R. Spitz. “Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 12, no. 10 (October 2003): 963–69.
Wei Q, Shen H, Wang L-E, Duphorne CM, Pillow PC, Guo Z, et al. Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Oct;12(10):963–9.
Wei, Qingyi, et al. “Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, vol. 12, no. 10, Oct. 2003, pp. 963–69.
Wei Q, Shen H, Wang L-E, Duphorne CM, Pillow PC, Guo Z, Qiao Y, Spitz MR. Association between low dietary folate intake and suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Oct;12(10):963–969.

Published In

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev

ISSN

1055-9965

Publication Date

October 2003

Volume

12

Issue

10

Start / End Page

963 / 969

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Folic Acid Deficiency
  • Female
  • Epidemiology
  • Dietary Supplements