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Jaundice, phototherapy and DNA damage in full-term neonates

N Ramy1, E A Ghany1, W Alsharany1

  • 1Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|November 20, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Phototherapy for neonatal jaundice increases DNA damage in infants, with longer treatment durations correlating to greater harm. Neonatal jaundice itself does not appear to affect DNA damage levels.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Phototherapy is a standard treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
  • Concerns exist regarding potential oxidative DNA damage from phototherapy.
  • Unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) may possess protective antigenotoxic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effects of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia on DNA damage.
  • To compare DNA damage in infants receiving conventional versus intensive phototherapy.
  • To assess DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Main Methods:

  • Study included term neonates with non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia and healthy controls.
  • Genotoxicity assessed using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay).
  • Blood samples collected pre- and post-phototherapy.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in DNA damage between jaundiced and non-jaundiced neonates.
  • Phototherapy significantly increased DNA damage compared to pre-treatment levels (P<0.001).
  • Phototherapy duration positively correlated with DNA damage (r=0.86, P<0.001); intensity did not significantly impact genotoxicity.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia does not influence DNA damage.
  • Both conventional and intensive phototherapy are associated with increased DNA damage in term infants.
  • Findings highlight the genotoxic potential of phototherapy in neonates.
Abstract

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