Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds with antioxidant properties (e.g. carotenoids, vitamin C and folates) and can alter the activity of xenobiotic metabolism (i.e. isothiocyanates). These constituents may be particularly important for subjects who are exposed to free radicals and genotoxic compounds, including smokers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of broccoli intake on biomarkers of DNA damage and repair. Twenty-seven young healthy smokers consumed a portion of steamed broccoli (250 g/day) or a control diet for 10 days each within a crossover design with a washout period. Blood was collected before and after each period. The level of oxidatively damaged DNA lesions (formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase-sensitive sites), resistance to ex vivo H(2)O(2) treatment and repair of oxidised DNA lesions were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also measured mRNA expression levels of repair and defence enzymes: 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), nucleoside diphosphate linked moiety X-type motif 1 (NUDT1) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). After broccoli consumption, the level of oxidised DNA lesions decreased by 41% (95% confidence interval: 10%, 72%) and the resistance to H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks increased by 23% (95% CI: 13%, 34%). Following broccoli intake, a higher protection was observed in subjects with glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1-null genotype. The expression level and activity of repair enzymes was unaltered. In conclusion, broccoli intake was associated with increased protection against H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks and lower levels of oxidised DNA bases in PBMCs from smokers. This protective effect could be related to an overall improved antioxidant status.

Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis is a lactic acid bacterium that characterizes the sourdough environment. The genetic differences of 24 strains isolated in different years from sourdoughs, mostly collected in Italy, were examined and compared by PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The MLST scheme, based on the analysis of six housekeeping genes (gdh, gyrA, mapA, nox, pgmA and pta) was developed for this study. PFGE with the restriction enzyme ApaI proved to have higher discriminatory power, since it revealed 22 different pulsotypes, while 19 sequence types were recognized through MLST analysis. Notably, restriction profiles generated from three isolates collected from the same firm but in three consecutive years clustered in a single pulsotype and showed the same sequence type, emphasizing the fact that the main factors affecting the dominance of a strain are correlated with processing conditions and the manufacturing environment rather than the geographical area. All results indicated a limited recombination among genes and the presence of a clonal population in L. sanfranciscensis. The MLST scheme proposed in this work can be considered a useful tool for characterization of isolates and for indepth examination of the strain diversity and evolution of this species.