The comet assay or single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay is now widely accepted as a standard method for assessing DNA damage in individual cells. It finds use in a broad variety of applications including human biomonitoring, genotoxicology, ecological monitoring and as a tool for investigation of DNA damage and repair in different cell types in response to a range of DNA-damaging agents. The comet assay should be eminently suitable for use in clinical practice since it is a relatively simple and inexpensive technique which requires only a few cells, and results can be obtained within a matter of hours. This method can be used in the study of cancer as well as in lifestyle and dietary studies. In cancer it is useful for measuring DNA damage before, throughout and after therapy (either radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Another use of this method is in lifestyle study, such as investigation of the effect on DNA of common human activities (e.g. smoking, or working with a potentially genotoxic agent). The final use of comet assay in this paper is dietary study. In this type of study we observe the effects of consumption of specific foods or supplements which may be protective for DNA against damage.

• MeSH
• Biomedical Research methods   trends   MeSH
• Genetic Testing methods   trends   MeSH
• Clinical Medicine methods   standards   MeSH
• Comet Assay methods   trends   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neoplasms diagnosis   genetics   MeSH
• DNA Damage genetics   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH

Molecular epidemiology is a new and evolving area of research, combining laboratory measurement of internal dose, biologically effective dose, biologic effects, and influence of individual susceptibility with epidemiologic methodologies. Biomarkers evaluated were selected according to basic scheme: biomarkers of exposure--metabolites in urine, DNA adducts, protein adducts, and Comet assay parameters; biomarkers of effect--chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, micronuclei, mutations in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase gene, and the activation of oncogenes coding for p53 or p21 proteins as measured on protein levels; biomarkers of susceptibility--genetic polymorphisms of genes CYP1A1, GSTM1, GSTT1, NAT2. DNA adducts measured by 32P-postlabeling are the biomarker of choice for the evaluation of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Protein adducts are useful as a biomarker for exposure to tobacco smoke (4-aminobiphenyl) or to smaller molecules such as acrylonitrile or 1,3-butadiene. Of the biomarkers of effect, the most common are cytogenetic end points. Epidemiologic studies support the use of chromosomal breakage as a relevant biomarker of cancer risk. The use of the Comet assay and methods analyzing oxidative DNA damage needs reliable validation for human biomonitoring. Until now there have not been sufficient data to interpret the relationship between genotypes, biomarkers of exposure, and biomarkers of effect for assessing the risk of human exposure to mutagens and carcinogens.

• MeSH
• Carcinogens analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Molecular Epidemiology * MeSH
• Mutagens analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Occupational Exposure statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Environmental Exposure statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Carcinogens MeSH
• Mutagens MeSH