Correlation between genetic variation in thymine DNA glycosylase and smoking behavior.

Cigarette smoking is a major lifestyle factor leading to different human diseases. The DNA repair gene, thymine DNA glycosylase, is important to cell survival because it stops cells from becoming cancerous protecting/preventing DNA. Exposure to CS may induce genetic changes such as single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes.

Effect of the thymine-DNA glycosylase rs4135050 variant on Saudi smoker population.

Background: Thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) is an essential DNA-repair enzyme which works in both epigenetic regulation and genome maintenance. It is also responsible for efficient correction of multiple endogenous DNA lesions which occur commonly in mammalian genomes. Research of genetic variants such as SNPs, resulting in disease, is predicted to yield clinical advancements through the identification of sensitive genetic markers and the development of disease prevention and therapy.