Defective DNA Repair in a Large Family Having a High Occurrence of Cancer

Abstract
DNA repair synthesis induced by UV light was investigated in unstimulated lymphocytes of 18 healthy members of a large family. Three generations were included: the mother (82 years), her 11 surviving adult children (34-52 years) and 6 of her grandchildren (20-23 years). In the first generation on the paternal side the father and 4 of his 7 siblings had suffered from cancer, in the second generation 1 son and 1 daughter. [3H]-Thymidine incorporation was taken as the parameter for the DNA repair synthesis. DNA repair synthesis was reduced in 14 out of 18 family members: 1 in the first generation, 7 in the second generation, and all 6 in the third generation. In comparison only 14 out of 92 aged-matched controls showed a defective DNA repair. Results provide further evidence that first-degree relatives of cancer patients have an increased incidence of defective DNA repair.

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