[Modified DNA-halo method for assessment of DNA damage induced by various genotoxic agents]

Using a modified DNA-halo method single-strand breaks and DNA alkaline-labile site induction were stud- ied in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after a short-term (up to 10 min) exposure in vitro to X-rays, hy- drogen peroxide and long-wave ultraviolet light (365 ± 10 nm). It was shown that the dose-effect dependence in thee X-ray dose range of 0.3-2 Gy approximates by a linear function of y = 0.25 + 0.42x (R2 = 0.98), where y is a DNA-halo index in standardized units, x--a radiation dose in Gy. The effect of "saturation" was ob- served in the range of 2-5 Gy. Under exposure to hydrogen peroxide up to a concentration of 25 μmol/L, the dose-effect is described by a linear function y = 0.23 + 0.033x (R2 = 0.96), where y is the DNA-halo index in standardized units, x--hydrogen peroxide concentration in μmol/L. UV exposure induced a linear in- crease of the DNA-halo index in the dose range of 2-10 kJ/m2 (y = 0.26 + 0.032x (R2 = 0.99), where y is theDNA-halo index in standardized units, x--a radiation dose in kJ/m2). In summary, the described modi- fication of the DNA-halo method provides a simple, sensitive, well reproducible and rapid assay for the anal- ysis of DNA single-strand breaks and alkaline-labile sites in living cells.