Reprodüktif ve Menopozal Servikal Smear ve Kan Örneklerinde DNA Hasarı Tespitinin Değerlendirilmesi

Aim: As we age, DNA damage occurs in the body due to slowing of the metabolic rate, changes in hormone levels and increased oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate DNA damage and degenerative nuclear changes in women at different times. Material and Methods: Lymphocyte samples from 30 women of reproductive age and 30 menopausal women were evaluated for DNA damage using the comet assay, smear samples were evaluated for micronucleus (MN) cells, a morphological marker of chromosomal instability using the MN assay, and binucleated (BN) and karyorrhectic (KR) cells were evaluated for degenerative nuclear changes. Results: DNA damage in blood samples was found to be higher in the menopausal period compared to the reproductive period by comet assay (p0.05). Conclusion: The reasons for the high level of DNA damage and MN scoring during menopause may be hormonal changes seen with aging, increased oxidative stress, weakening of DNA repair mechanisms and epigenetic changes.