• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.71-77
• /
• 1997

The single cell gel electrophoressis(SCGE) assay, also known as the comet assay, is a rapid, simple, visual and sensitive technique for measuring and analysing DNA breakage in mammalian cells. The SCGE or comet assay is a promising test for the detection of DNA damage and repair in individnal cells. It has widespread potential applications in DNA damage and repair studies, genotoxicity testing and biomonitoring. In this microgel electrophoresis technique, cells are embedded in agarose gel on microscope slides, iysed and electrophoresed under alkaline conditions. Cells with increased DNA damage display increased migration of DNA from the nucleus towards the anode. The length of DNA migration indicates the amount of DNA breakage in the cell. The comet assay is also capable of identifying apoptotic cells which contain highly fragmented DNA. Here we review the development of the SCGE assay, existing protocols for the detection and analysis of comets, the relevant underlying principles determining the behaviour of DNA and the potential applications of the technique.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.346-351
• /
• 2003

Single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) was used to detect DNA single strand break in blood cells from several marine fish species. Three fish species were collected from Georgia coastal area. Mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus showed higher DNA damage than sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus and trout, Oncorhynchus masou masou under the same experimental conditions. Mummichogs had more alkaline-labile sites on their DNA than other fish species. The comet assay with mummichog blood cells at pH 12.5 showed a dose-response curve with the increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. While the isolated leucocytes showed no increase of DNA damage after in vitro exposure to 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (MNQ), erythrocytes showed dose-dependent DNA damage. These results indicate that the comet assay can be applied successfully as a bioassay using erythrocyte for environmental monitoring.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2001

Endocrine disruptors have been implicated in carcinogenesis in animal studies, but carcinogenetic effects on human remain controversial. In order to examine the genotoxicity of two common endocrine disruptors, Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol, cytogenetic endpoints including chromosome aberration (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronuclei (MN) analyses and DNA damage by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) were assessed. The effects of Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol on the frequencies of CA and MN were increased in a dose-dependent manner and that of Bispheol A was more significant by Kendall'$\tau$test. Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol also increased the frequency of SCE. Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner and the DNA damage induced by Diethylstilbestrol in human blood lymphocytes was more significant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.176-176
• /
• 2001

Endocrine disruptors have been implicated in carcinogenesis in animal studies, but carcinogenetic effects on human remain controversial. In order to examine the genotoxicity of two common endocrine disruptors, Bisphenol A and Diethylstilbestrol, cytogenetic endpoints including chromosome aberration(CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronuclei (MN) analyses and DNA damage by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) were assayed.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2004.05a
• /
• pp.73-73
• /
• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2004.05a
• /
• pp.95-95
• /
• 2004

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2001

Recently, single cell gel electrophoresis, also known as comet assay, is widely used for the detection and measurement of DNA strand breaks in vitro and in vivo in many toxicological fields such as radiation exposure, human monitoring and toxicity evaluation. As well defined, comet assay is a sensitive, rapid and visual method for the detection of DNA strand breaks in individual cells. Briefly, a small number of damaged cells suspended in a thin agarose gel on a microscope slide were lysed, unwinded, electrophoresed, and stained with a fluorescent DNA binding dye. The electric current pulled the charged DNA from the nucleus such that relaxed and broken DNA fragments migrated further. The resulting images which were subsequently named for their appearance as comets, were measured to determine the extent of DNA damages. However, some variations could be occurred in procedures, laboratories's conditions and kind of cells used. Hence, to overcome and to harmonize these matters in comet assay, International Workshop on Genotoxicity Test Procedure (IWGTP) was held with several topics including comet assay at Washington D.C. on March, 1999. In spite of some consensus in procedures and conditions in IWGTP, there are some problems still remained to be solved. In this respect, we attempted to set the practical optimal conditions in the experimental procedures such as lysis, unwinding, electrophoresis and neutralization conditions and so on. First of all, we determined optimal lysis and unwinding time by using 150 $\mu$M methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) which is usually used concentration. And then, we determined optimal positive control concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and MMS in the presence and absence of S9 metabolic activation system, respectively.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2005

Perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene, PCE), a dry cleaning and degreasing solvent, can enter ground-water through accidental leak or spills. PCE can be degraded to trichloroethylene (TCE), 1, 1-dichloroethylene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) as potential bio-product. These compounds have been reported that they can cause clinical diseases and cytotoxicity. However, only a little genotoxic information of these compounds has been known. In this study, we investigated DNA single strand breaks of PCE, TCE, DCE and VC by single cell gel electrophoresis assay, (comet assay) which is a sensitive, reliable and rapid method for DNA single strand breaks with mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells. From these results, $37.5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of PCE, $189\;{\mu}g/ml$ of TCE and $56.4\;{\mu}g/ml$ of DCE were revealed significant DNA damages in the absence of S-9 metabolic activation system meaning direct-acting mutagen. And in the presence of S-9 metabolic activation system, $41.5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of PCE, $328.7\;{\mu}g/ml$ of TCE and $949\;{\mu}g/ml$ of DCE were induced significant DNA damage. In the case of VC, it was revealed a significant DNA damage in the presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. Therefore, we suggest that chloroethylene compounds (PCE, TCE, DCE and VC) may be induced the DNA damage in a mammalian cell.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.268-275
• /
• 2004

To investigate the potential application of the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay to carp as an aquatic pollution monitoring technique, gill, liver, and blood cells were isolated from carp exposed to a direct-acting mutagen, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), or indirect mutagen, $benzo[\alpha]pyrene$ $(B[\alpha]P)$, then the DNA strand breakage was analyzed using the assay. Based on testing 5 different cell isolation methods and 6 electrophoretic conditions, the optimized assay conditions were found to be cell isolation by filter pressing and electrophoresis at a lower voltage and longer running time (at 0.4 V/cm for 40 min). In preliminary experiments, gill and liver cells isolated from carp exposed to MNNG in vitro exhibited DNA damage signals even with 0.5 ppb exposure, which is a much higher dose than previously reported. In the gill cells isolated from carp exposed to 0.01-0.5 ppm MNNG in vivo, significant dose-and time-dependent increases were observed in the tail for 4 days. As such, the linear correlation between the relative damage index (RDI) values and time for each dose based on the initial 48-h exposure appeared to provide effective criteria for the genotoxicity monitoring of direct-acting mutagenic pollution. In contrast, the in vivo exposure of carp to 0.25-1.0 ppm of $B[\alpha]P$ for 7 days resulted in dose-and time-dependent responses in the liver cells, in which 24-h delayed responses for metabolizing activation and gradual repair after 48 h were also observed. Thus, the negative-sloped linear correlation between the RDI and time at each dose based on the initial 48 h appeared to provide more effective criteria for the genotoxicity monitoring of indirect mutagenic pollution.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.21 no.2 s.53
• /
• pp.127-138
• /
• 2006

In urban areas, diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are probably a major component of particulate matters, especially in Korea where drive many diesel vehicles. The aim of this study was to investigate genotoxic effects of DEP using single ceil gel electrophoresis. In order to evaluate the mechanisms of DEP genotoxicity, the rat microsome mediated and DNA repair enzyme treated comet assays together with conventional comet assay were performed. Total diesel particles (DEPT) was collected without site fractionation from diesel engine bus and dichloromethane extract was obtained. The organic extract of DEPT revealed DNA damage itself in NIH/3T3 cells. The level of DNA breaks plus oxidative DNA lesions and microsome mediated DNA damage was assessed by modified single cell gel eletrophoresis. DEPT was able to induce oxidative DNA damage as well as microsome mediated DNA damage. Vitamin C as an model antioxidant reduced DNA damage in endonuclase III treated comet assay. One of flavonoid, galangin as a CYP1A1 inhibitor. reduced DNA damage in the presence of S-9 mixture. $DEP_T$ is the sources of oxidative stress, but antioxidants can significantly reduce oxidative DNA dmage. And $DEP_T$ may contain indirect mutagens which can be inhibited by CYP1A1 inhibitors. The ethanol extracts of the mixed vegetables (BV) or the mixed fruits (BF) were evaluated for their in vitro antigenotoxic effects. BV and BF showed potent Inhibitory effects against DEPT induced DNA damage with oxidative DNA lesions and in the prescence of S-9 mixture. These results indicate that BV and BF could prevent cellular DNA damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and suppressing cytochrome P4501A1 in cell culture.