Effects of stress on methyltransferase synthesis: An important DNA repair enzyme.

Abstract

The enhancement of tumor development following acute stress has been demonstrated in some animal studies. This study was designed to explore mechanisms that would account in part for the relationship between stress and tumor development at the level of DNA repair, using a rat model. Forty-four rats were given the carcinogen dimethylnitrosamine in their drinking water, and half were randomly assigned to a rotational stress condition. The levels of methyltransferase, a DNA repair enzyme induced in response to carcinogen damage, were significantly lower in spleens from the stressed animals. These data suggest that stress may impair DNA repair. Exposure to low-level carcinogens is a commonplace daily event. For example, nitrates are chemical carcinogens found in many processed meats, some American beers, and spinach. The benzopyrenes, another group of chemical Requests for reprints should be sent to

Immune Function and Psychological Factors in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease (I)

“…Based on these results, studies on stress states and personality in cancer patients have been carried out, 12 which concluded that psychological or behavioral stress is not directly related to the development of tumors, but decreased immune function affected tumor growth. 13 The association between exercise or training and immune function has also been studied. Steel et al were the first to report changes in the B/T lymphocyte ratio after exercise.…”

“…If psychological stress interferes with this function, a tumor may be allowed to grow to a size that immune system can no longer deal with easily. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In recent years, exercise and training have been studied as factors affecting immune responses. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] We have performed sports rehabilitation for patients with coronary heart disease from the aspect of exercise psychology.…”

Stress, ageing and their influence on functional, cellular and molecular aspects of the immune system

“…This is also a demonstration of the complicated relationship between stress and body mechanisms, as it shows that in addition to the duration of stressor, the consequences of its action depend also upon the capacity of the organism to adapt to change and maintain homeostasis. The effect of stress was different depending on the population tested, with a decrease seen in the DNA repair mechanism after X-irradiation in psychiatric compared to nonpsychiatric patients (Kiecolt- Glaser et al 1985), whereas in young and healthy medical students, stress during an examination period influenced the increase in the extent of DNA repair after UV radiation (Cohen et al 2000). As examination stress increases DNA damage and hence the need for its repair, it could be that the increase in the repair process in young and healthy students indicates their ability to meet this criteria, an ability that is not present in psychiatric patients who exhibit a decrease (Yang and Glaser 2003).…”

Effects of an Integrated Yoga Program in Modulating Psychological Stress and Radiation-Induced Genotoxic Stress in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

“…37 DNA repair capacity is also associated with psychological and physiological stress. [38][39][40] Therefore in view of the fact that breast cancer patients are under stress and that they also undergo considerable radiation-induced DNA damage, we investigate in the present study the effect of an intensive yoga program on psychological parameters (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]) as well as radiation-induced DNA damage in the PBLs derived from the breast cancer patients pre-and post-radiotherapy, using both an intervention and a supportive counseling group.…”