8-hydroxyguanine levels in nuclear DNA and its repair activity in rat organs associated with age.

8-Hydroxyguanine (8-OH-Gua) is one of the most abundant types of oxidative DNA damage. The levels of 8-OH-Gua, and its repair activity, were quantified in 3-week-, 5-month-, and 30-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rat organs such as liver, kidney, spleen, lung, small intestine, and brain. The levels of 8-OH-Gua were significantly higher in the 5-month-old rat kidney and brain and 30-month-old rat spleen when compared to that of the 3-week-old rats. However, no significant differences were found in the organs between 5- and 30-month-old rats that were due to the aging process. The repair activity levels of kidney, spleen, and lung were higher than those of liver, small intestine, and brain. This pattern was consistent for the three age stages.