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Published on: September 5, 2017
[Study on DNA damage induced by microcystin-LR]
Objective:
To investigate whether microcystin-LR (MC-LR) at doses which were not cytotoxic can induce DNA damage and compare its effect on HL-7702 and KB cell lines.
Methods:
Cytotoxin and DNA damage were detected by MTT and comet assay, respectively.
Results:
As doses ranged from 10 to 100 micro/L, MC-LR showed no significant impact on viability of these two cell lines. However, DNA damage induced by MC-LR occurred at the dose of 30 microg/L in HL-7702 cell and significantly increased with dose. MC-LR did not induce DNA damage in KB cell.
Conclusion:
MC-LR has potential genotoxicity, DNA damage induced by MC-LR is more significant in hepatocyte with bile acid transportation system than other cell lines.
Insights
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) can cause DNA damage in liver cells (HL-7702) even at non-cytotoxic doses. This genotoxicity was not observed in KB cells, suggesting cell-specific effects of MC-LR exposure.
Area of Science:
- Environmental toxicology
- Cell biology
- Molecular toxicology
Background:
- Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a potent hepatotoxin produced by cyanobacteria.
- Understanding the genotoxic potential of MC-LR at sub-lethal concentrations is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if non-cytotoxic doses of MC-LR induce DNA damage in HL-7702 (human liver cell line) and KB (oral cancer cell line).
- To compare the differential effects of MC-LR on DNA integrity in these two distinct cell types.
Main Methods:
- Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay.
- DNA damage was quantified using the comet assay.
Main Results:
- MC-LR did not significantly affect the viability of HL-7702 or KB cells at concentrations up to 100 µg/L.
- DNA damage was observed in HL-7702 cells starting at 30 µg/L MC-LR, increasing with dose.
- No significant DNA damage was induced by MC-LR in KB cells.
Conclusions:
- MC-LR exhibits potential genotoxicity, particularly in liver cells.
- The hepatocyte bile acid transportation system may play a role in MC-LR-induced DNA damage, leading to greater significance in liver cells compared to other cell types.

