To investigate the effects of exercise on oxidative DNA damage, we measured the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG, 7,8.dihydro-8-oxo-deoxyguanosine), and mRNA of its sanitization enzyme, human MutT homologue (hMTH1), after mild acute exercise in healthy male Subjects. The basal 8-OH-dG levels of physically active subjects were significantly lower than those of sedentary subjects. After mild exercise for 30 min, the 8-OH-dG levels of the sedentary subjects significantly decreased. In correspondence with the change of 8-OH-dG levels, the hMTH1 mRNA levels of the physically active subjects were significantly higher than those of the sedentary subjects. The levels of hMTH1 mRNA of sedentary subjects significantly increased after mild exercise. Furthermore. there was a significant negative correlation between the levels of 8-OH-dG and hMTH1 mRNA. These results suggest that a mild exercise has a beneficial effect on the maintenance of low levels of 8-OH-dG probably by keeping the sanitization system at higher levels. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.