DNA repair in blood cells was observed to be suboptimal in cancer patients at diagnosis, including colorectal cancer (CRC). To explore the causality of this phenomenon, we studied the dynamics of DNA repair from diagnosis to 1 yr follow-up, and with respect to CRC treatment. Systemic CRC therapy is targeted to DNA damage induction and DNA repair is thus of interest. CRC patients were blood-sampled three times in 6-mo intervals, starting at the diagnosis, and compared to healthy controls. DNA repair was characterized by mRNA levels of 40 repair genes, by capacity of nucleotide excision repair (NER), and by levels of DNA strand breaks (SBs). NER and base excision repair genes were significantly under-expressed (P < 0.016) in patients at diagnosis compared to controls, in accordance with reduced NER function (P = 0.008) and increased SBs (P = 0.015). Six months later, there was an increase of NER capacity, but not of gene expression levels, in treated patients only. A year from diagnosis, gene expression profiles and NER capacity were significantly modified in all patients and were no longer different from those measured in controls. All patients were free of relapse at the last sampling, so we were unable to clarify the impact of DNA repair parameters on treatment response. However, we identified a panel of blood DNA repair-related markers discerning acute stage of the disease from the remission period. In conclusion, our results support a model in which DNA repair is altered as a result of cancer.

1st Faculty of Medicine Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics Prague Czech Republic

Biomedical Centre Medical School Pilsen Charles University Prague Pilsen Czech Republic

Clinic of Oncology and Radiotherapy Faculty Hospital in Pilsen Charles University Pilsen Czech Republic

Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Human Genetics Foundation Torino Italy

Institute of Biotechnology ASCR Prague Czech Republic

Institute of Experimental Medicine ASCR Prague Czech Republic

TATAA Biocenter Goteborg Sweden

Thomayer Hospital and 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Czech Republic

University of Torino Torino Italy

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