Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is crucial for repairing bulky lesions and crosslinks in DNA caused by exogenous and endogenous genotoxins. The number of studies that have considered DNA repair as a biomarker is limited, and therefore one of the primary objectives of the European COST Action hCOMET (CA15132) was to assemble and analyse a pooled database of studies with data on NER activity. The database comprised 738 individuals, gathered from 5 laboratories that ran population studies using the comet-based in vitro DNA repair assay. NER activity data in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were normalized and correlated with various host-related factors, including sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habits. This multifaceted analysis uncovered significantly higher NER activity in female participants compared to males (1.08 ± 0.74 vs. 0.92 ± 0.71; P = .002). Higher NER activity was seen in older subjects (>30 years), and the effect of age was most pronounced in the oldest females, particularly those over 70 years (P = .001). Females with a normal BMI (<25 kg/m2) exhibited the highest levels of NER, whereas the lowest NER was observed in overweight males (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). No independent effect of smoking was found. After stratification by sex and BMI, higher NER was observed in smoking males (P = .017). The biological implication of higher or lower repair capacity remains unclear; the inclusion of DNA repair as a biomarker in molecular epidemiological trials should elucidate the link between health and disease status.

• Keywords
• BMI, DNA repair, age, biomarkers, comet assay, nucleotide excision repair, sex,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Excision Repair MeSH
• Body Mass Index MeSH
• Comet Assay MeSH
• Smoking MeSH
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear metabolism   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• DNA Repair * MeSH
• DNA Damage MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Sex Factors MeSH
• Age Factors MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH