engleski

Assessment of DNA Sensitivity in Peripheral Blood Leuklocytes after Occupational Exposure to Microwave Radiation : the Alkaline Comet Assay and Chromatid Breakage Assay

Using primary DNA damage as a biomarker of exposure, the present study was undertaken to investigate. the DNA se?s~tivity in peripheral blood le~ocytes of radar-f~cility workers daily exposed to mlcrowave radlatlon and unexposed control subJects. The evaluatlon of DNA damage and sensitivity was performed by using alkaline comet assay and chromatid breakage assay (bleomycin sensitivity test). We found out. that occupational exposure to microwave radiation correlated with an increase of genome damage in somatic cells. The levels of DNA damage in exposed subjects determined by using alkaline comet assay were increased compared to control and showed interindividual variations. After short exposure of cultured lymphocytes to bleomycin, cells of subjects occupationally exposed to microwave radiation responded with high numbers of chromatid breaks. Although the level of chromosome damage generated by bleomycin varied greatly between individuals, an significant increase in the number of chromatid breaks was observed in exposed subjects. Our results indicate that microwave radiation represents a potential DNA-damaging hazard. They also confirmed the usefulness of alkaline comet assay and chromatid breakage assay as sensitive biomarkers of individual cancer susceptibility. As simple and inexpensive tests both assays allow the selection of subjects with a defective DNA repair and could I be useful additional markers in biomonitoring studies.

comet assay; occupational; ionizing radiation

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