Levels of mtDNA(4977) deletions (DeltamtDNA(4977)) have been found to be lower in tumors than in adjacent non-tumoral tissues. In 87 cancer patients, DeltamtDNA(4977) was detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification in 43 (49%) of the tumors and in 74 (85%) of the samples of non-tumoral tissues that were adjacent to the tumors. DeltamtDNA(4977) deletions were detected in ...

The most frequently reported species of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage associated with ageing is the 4977-bp 'Common Deletion'. However, recent observations have raised several issues within the deletion debate namely: the significance of the 4977-bp deletion (CD) as a universal DNA marker of ageing and mitochondrial dysfunction; and the possibility for maternal transmission of deletions in h...

Activation of the Mec1/Rad53 damage checkpoint pathway influences mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and point mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The effects of this conserved checkpoint pathway on mitochondrial genomes in human cells remain largely unknown. Here, we report that knockdown of the human DNA helicase RRM3 enhances phosphorylation of the cell cycle arrest kinase Chk2, indicati...

We report that diabetic patients with both (a) persistent hyperglycaemia, indicated by HbAlC > 9% of total haemoglobin (Hb) and (b) clinically evident microor macro-vascular disease have a significant increase in the number of detached vascular endothelial cells circulating in their blood relative to age-matched diabetic controls without vascular disease. We find that circulating endothelial ce...

PURPOSE We examined changes due to oxidative damage to spermatozoa and alterations in antioxidant capacity in subfertile patients with varicocele before and after varicocelectomy in a prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 30 young subfertile male patients with varicocele were recruited in this study. Varicocele was diagnosed by physical examination and Doppler ultrasound. Semen ...