Preliminary evaluation of DNA damage related with the smoking habit measured by the comet assay in whole blood cells
Author
dc.contributor.author
Pérez Alzola, Luz Patricia
es_CL
Author
dc.contributor.author
Farfán Urzúa, Mauricio Javier
es_CL
Author
dc.contributor.author
González Hormazábal, Patricio
es_CL
Author
dc.contributor.author
Garay, Marta
es_CL
Author
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Olmedo, María Isabel
es_CL
Author
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Ellahueñe Manquian, Manuel
Author
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Last, Jerold A.
es_CL
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2014-01-10T17:24:34Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2014-01-10T17:24:34Z
Publication date
dc.date.issued
2004-07
Cita de ítem
dc.identifier.citation
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2004;13(7). July 2004
en_US
Identifier
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1055-9965
Identifier
dc.identifier.uri
https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/121743
General note
dc.description
Artículo de publicación ISI
en_US
Abstract
dc.description.abstract
The alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)
assay, also called the comet assay, is a rapid and
simple method for the detection of DNA damage in
individual cells. The objective of this study was to
establish if the alkaline SCGE assay in whole blood
cells gives similar results as the same method in
isolated lymphocytes, because whole blood cells are
simpler and more economical to use, specifically in
human genotoxic biomonitoring. To validate the
method, we first used mouse blood cells, because
mouse is one of the most commonly used animals in
genetic toxicology testing. Groups of seven CF1 male
mice were given i.p. injections of relatively low doses
of methyl methanesulfonate (25 mg/kg body weight), a
direct acting genotoxic agent, or cyclophosphamide
(50 mg/kg body weight), which requires metabolic
activation. Three, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 65 hours after
treatment, 5 ML of blood were collected from each
animal and were processed for the alkaline SCGE
assay. On the basis of an analysis of tail moment, the
results showed that this assay can detect DNA damage
induced by both kinds of alkylating mutagens. We
then did a preliminary study to assess the status of
DNA damage in a young (19 to 23 years old) healthy
population of male smokers (n = 6) and nonsmokers
(n = 6) using the comet assay in whole blood cells.
A significant difference was observed between the
two groups, showing that the method is able to detect
DNA damage in the smoking group despite
the short time that the volunteers had actually been
smoking.