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Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Preparation of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Pellets and Plasma from a Single Blood Draw at Clinical Trial Sites for Biomarker Analysis
Published on: March 20, 2021
Structural chromatin alterations in peripheral blood leukocytes of alcohol-dependent individuals during
Margarita Chrysanthou Piterou1, Ismini Kloukina Pantazidou2, Sophia Havaki3
1Research Unit of Histochemistry and Electron Microscopy, First Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece mchrysa@eginitio.uoa.gr.
Background/Aim:
The aim of this study was to investigate the state of chromatin condensation in peripheral blood leukocytes of alcoholics, during the early detoxification period, in order to highlight structural modifications, indicating epigenetic mechanisms regulated by alcohol.
Materials And Methods:
Blood samples were obtained from alcoholic patients, who were admitted for detoxification on an inpatient basis, and from healthy controls. The level of condensed heterochromatin and de-condensed euchromatin were detected through the ratio of lysine to arginine residues, by the application of the ammoniacal silver reaction (ASR) staining on leukocyte pellets, and through immunohistochemical localization of histone H1 on peripheral blood smears.
Results:
Lymphocytes and neutrophils with relaxed de-condensed chromatin were found, indicating a more reactive genome in alcoholics, even at the stage of detoxification.
Conclusion:
The results underline the importance of chromatin structure of leukocytes as a sensitive, peripheral, biological marker for epigenetic studies in living chronic alcoholics.
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