Phototherapy is known to cause oxidative damage in neonates, there is no research on DNA damage repair before and after phototherapy in hyperbilirubinemia neonates at present. We aim to evaluate the oxidative damage and the mRNA expression of specific DNA repair genes in hyperbilirubinemic neonates treating with light emitting diode (LED) phototherapy. 38 neonates were classified into two groups: 19 received LED phototherapy, 19 received intensive LED phototherapy. Malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the mRNA expression of P53, human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1), human MutT homolog1 (hMTH1), human MutY homolog (hMYH) genes were measured before and after phototherapy. The 8-OHdG concentration increased (P<0.05) and the GSH-Px activity decreased (P<0.05) after phototherapy in both groups. The MDA level increased (P<0.05) and the SOD activity decreased (P<0.05) after phototherapy in the intensive LED group. The mRNA expression of hMTH1 and hOGG1 increased after phototherapy in the LED group (P<0.05). Phototherapy may induce oxidative damage to hyperbilirubinemia neonates. The LED phototherapy (intensity: 10–15µW/cm2/nm) may up-regulate the mRNA expression of repair genes.
Gu et al. (2026) studied this question.