• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2002

We investigated the effect of Paeonia japonica (PJ) on radiation-induced oxidative damage to macromolecules in vitro and in vivo. The PJ reduced the tail moment (TM) which was a marker of DNA strand break in single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE; comet assay) in the human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Lipid peroxidation in the liver of the ICR mouse, measured as malondialdehyde (MDA), was also reduced by PJ administration. Ethanol fraction of PJ was more effective than polysaccharide fraction of that on reduction of TM in SCGE and lipid peroxidation. Also, Their activities to scavenge DPPH radicals and hydroxyl radicals were observed in vitro, and the activities were due to its ethanol fraction. It is plausible that scavenging of flee radicals by PJ extract may have played an important role in providing the protection against the radiation-induced damage. These results indicated that Paeonia japonica might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.107-107
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• 2001

In the present study, the protective effect of Scutellaria baicalensis against DNA damage in HL-60 cells exposed to $^{60}$ Co ${\gamma}$-rays was evaluated using micronuclei formation and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, comet assay). The frequency of micronuclei was decreased in groups treated with water extract (P＜0.01), polysaccaride fraction (P＜0.01) and methanol fraction (P＜0.01) before/after exposure to 200 cGy of ${\gamma}$-rays.(omitted)

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2011

The single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay is a microelectrophoretic technique for assessments of DNA damage at the level of the individual eukaryotic cell. The SCGE assay, due to its simplicity, sensitivity and need of a few cells, has advantages compared to other genomic damage assays such as sister chromatid exchange, chromosomal aberration and micronucleus test. In this study, investigated were the levels of DNA damage and the repair kinetics in the coelomocytes of Eisenia fetida treated with HgCl2 and ionizing radiation by means of the SCGE assay. For detecting DNA damage and repair in coelomocytes, earthworms (E. fetida) were irradiated with six doses of ${\gamma}$-rays (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Gy) and in vivo exposed to mercuric chloride at 0, 80 and 160 mg $kg^{-1}$ for 48 hours. Then the Olive tail moments were measured during 0~12 hours after irradiation and 0~72 hours after Hg treatment. The results showed that the more the oxidative stress was induced by mercury and radiation, the longer the repair time was required. Also, the results suggest that the SCGE assay may be used as an important tool for comparison of the sensitivity of different species to oxidative stresses.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2003

The present study was attempted to investigate the antioxidant capacity of popular yellow-green vegetable juices (kale, Angelica keishei, carrot, small water dropwort) and to investigate the effect of vegetable juices on protecting oxidative damage to DNA in cultured Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells. Antioxidant capacity was analyzed by TRAP assay (Total radical-trapping antioxidant potential). Cellular DNA dmamage was measured by SCGE (single-cell gel electrophoresis, also known as comet assay. Cells incubated in medium with PBS (negative control) or with various concentration of the freeze dried green juices (25, 50, 100, 250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$) resuspended in PBS were treated with $H_2O_2$ (200 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) as an oxidative stimulus for 5 min at 4$^{\circ}C$. The physiological function of each vegetable juice on oxidative DNA damage was analyzed and expressed as tail moment (tail length X percentage migrated DNA in tail) . Kale juice had the highest TRAP value suggesting that kale has the highest antioxidant capacity followed by Angelica keishei, small water dropwort and carrot. Cells treated with $H_2O_2$ had extensive DNA damage compared with cells treated with PBS or pre-treated with vegetable juice extracts. All green juices inhibited $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage with kale being the most effective juice among the tested juices. These results indicate that green juice supplementation to CHL cells followed by oxidative stimulus inhibited damage to cellular DNA, supporting a protective effect against oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species. (Korean J Nutrition 36(1) : 24-31, 2003)

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.466-471
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• 2008

Little is known about DNA-level and physiological levels for health assessments of stream or river environments. Recently, comet assay, so called Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) is introduced for assessments of DNA damage in the medical science, food science and mammal toxicology. The comet assay is known as a biomarker which is one of the best barometers in assessing the DNA damage by oxidative stress. In this study, we conducted the comet assay using sentinel species, Zacco platypus, as one of the pre-warning alarm systems for the aquatic ecosystem health assessments and also applied it to Gap Stream as a model system. Tail extent moments in the S1 and S2 were 5.20 and 9.90 respectively and the moment was 19.89 in the S3. Statistical ANOVA in the tail moments showed a significant difference (n=75, p<0.05) between S1 and S3. Also, the proportions of DNA in the tail were 14.47, 23.64, and $30.04{\mu}m$ in the upstream (control site), midstream, downstream sites, respectively. Our results in the downstream were accord with previous studies of individual-level, population-level, and community-level in Gap Stream. Our results suggest that the comet assay may be used as an important tool for diagnosing ecological health of aquatic ecosystems in the level of DNA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.95-96
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• 2001

The mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of catechin, hamamelitannin and two proanthocyanidin fractions prepared from the bark of Hamamelis virginia L. - a commonly used medicinal herb - were investigated in a human derived hepatoma (Hep G2) cell line using the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, syn. Comet assay) for the detection of DNA-migration. The cells possess different phase I and phase II enzymes involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics.(omitted)

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.591-607
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• 2013

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the aquatic environment of an urban stream using various ecological parameters of biological biomarkers, physical habitat quality and chemical water quality and to develop a "Multimetric Eco-Model" ($M_m$-E Model) for the ecosystem evaluations. For the applications of the $M_m$-E model, three zones including the control zone ($C_Z$) of headwaters, transition zone ($T_Z$) of mid-stream and the impacted zone ($I_Z$) of downstream were designated and analyzed the seasonal variations of the model values. The biomarkers of DNA, based on the comet assay approach of single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), were analyzed using the blood samples of Zacco platypus as a target species, and the parameters were used tail moment, tail DNA(%) and tail length (${\mu}m$) in the bioassay. The damages of DNA were evident in the impacted zone, but not in the control zone. The condition factor ($C_F$) as key indicators of the population evaluation indicator was analyzed along with the weight-length relation and individual abnormality. The four metrics of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) were added for the evaluations of physical habitat. In addition, the parameters of chemical water quality were used as eutrophic indicators of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and conductivity. Overall, our results suggested that attributes of biomarkers and bioindicators in the impacted zone ($I_Z$) had sensitive response largely to the chemical stress (eutrophic indicators) and also partially to physical habitat quality, compared to the those in the control zone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2004

In the present study, the protective effects of Artemisia capillaris (AC) on the DNA damage induced by $^{60}$ Co ${\gamma}$-rays were evaluated using alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, comet assay) in the mouse peripheral lymphocytes and micronuclei (MN) formation test in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We also investigated the effect of AC on 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation in the mouse liver and thymus exposed to ${\gamma}$-ray, The tail moment and the frequency of MN, which were markers of DNA damage in the SCGE and MN formation test, were decreased in the groups treated with AC extract before exposure to 200 cGy of ${\gamma}$-ray. We also observed its activities, lowering 8-OHdG level, an index of oxidative DNA damage, in the groups treated with AC extract before whole body ${\gamma}$-irradiation (800 cGy). It is plausible that scavenging of free radicals by AC may have played an important role in providing the protection against the radiation-induced damage to the DNA. These results indicated that AC protects the DNA damage induced by ${\gamma}$-rays and might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic product.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.212-217
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• 2010

Soil pollution by heavy metals has become a significant environmental concern due to a variety of human activities. Specially toxicity caused by excessive mercury exposure is now being recognized as a widespread environmental problem and is continuing to attract a great deal of public concerns. The earthworms are very important animals that aerate the soil with their burrowing action and enrich the soil by decomposing organic matters. Especially the earthworm Eisenia fetida is routinely used in ecotoxicological studies. The levels of DNA damage in earthworms treated with HgCl2 and ionizing radiation were investigated in this study. Genotoxic effects were evaluated in the earthworm's coelomocytes using the comet assay (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis; SCGE). The results showed that the mercury chloride and radiation were responsible for the genotoxic effects on earthworms. The level of DNA damage significantly increased after the treatment of mercury chloride combined with ionizing radiation. The combined treatment of $HgCl_2$ and ionizing radiation had a greater genotoxicity. This study is amenable to further study such as enzyme activation assay.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.103.1-103
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• 2003

건조 생약재의 위생화 수단으로 방사선 조사 기술의 적용 가능성을 검토하기 위하여 감마선 조사 생약의 효능 변화유무를 평가하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서는 감마선 조사 시료와 비조사 시료가 생체의 산화적 손상을 억제하는 효과를 비교하기 위하여 방사선에 의한 산화적 손상에 대한 효과를 측정하였다. 감마선 조사(10 kGy) 생약재(H-113) 및 비조사 생약재(H-113) 추출물을 처리하여 배양한 사람 림프구에 방사선을 조사한 후, 단세포전기영동(single-cell gel electrophoresis, SCGE; comet assay)을 수행하여 DNA 상해 경감정도를 관찰하였다. 또한 방사선 조사 및 비조사 생약재(H-113) 추출물을 투여한 생쥐에 8 Gy의 감마선을 조사한 후, 간에서 지질과산화 정도를 비교·관찰하였다. 한편 DPPH 라디칼과 hydroxyl 라디칼 소거효과를 시험관내에서 상호 비교하였다. 감마선 조사 생약재(H-113)는 단세포전기영동, 지질과산화, DPPH 및 hydroxyl 라디칼 소거시험에서 비조사 생약재 (H-113)와 유사한 효과를 나타내어 효능 차이가 인정되지 않았다. 이는 생약재의 여러 가지 고유 효능 중 일부의 안정성을 확인한 것으로 생각되며, 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 감마선 조사 생약재의 고유 효능의 안정성에 관한 체계적인 연구결과를 얻는다면 생약재의 위생화 수단으로 감마선 조사 기술의 이용이 실용화될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.