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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Quantification of three DNA Lesions by Mass Spectrometry and Assessment of Their Levels in Tissues of Mice Exposed to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter
Published on: May 29, 2019
[Oxidative damage of gasoline engine exhausts to rat lung tissues]
Wang-Jun Che1, Ling Wang, Qing-Ying Luo
1Department of Environmental Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Objective:
To study the effects of extracts of condensate, particulates and semivolatile organic compounds from gasoline engine exhaust on DNA damage, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1) expression, and changes of ultra-structures in lungs of rats.
Methods:
Organic extracts of gasoline engine exhaust (GEE) was intratrachealy instilled into rat lungs at 0, 5.6, 16.7, and 50.0 L/kg body weight, respectively, once a week for a month. The single DNA strand break was measured by comet assay. The OGG1 was determined using immunohistochemistry method. The ultrastructure of lung cells was observed with electronic microscope.
Results:
The rates of tailed cells detected by the comet assay increased significantly when the rats were exposed to 16.7 and 50.0 L/kg of GEE compared with those exposed to solvent only (P < 0.05). However, the tail length did not differ significantly between the groups. Similarly, exposure to 16.7 and 50.0 L/kg of GEE led to increased OGG1 significantly. Significant changes of mitochondria in type I and II alveolar cells as well as respiratory bronchiole epithelial cells were observed, which included decrease of numbers, pyknosis and swelling.
Conclusion:
Gasoline engine exhausts induce single DNA strand break, increase OGG1 expression, decrease numbers of mitochondria, and destroy ultrastructures of mitochondria in various lung cells of rats.

