Alkaline Comet Assay in Human Biomonitoring of Occupational Exposure to Physical and Chemical Mutagens

Verica Garaj-Vrhovac, Nevenka Kopjar, and Davor Želježić

Laboratory of Mutegenesis, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia

Corresponding author: Verica Garaj-Vrhovac, Ph.D.
    Laboratory of Mutagenesis
    Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
    HR-10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
    Telephone: ++385 1 4673 18
    Fax number: ++385 1 4673 303
    E-mail: vgaraj@imi.hr

CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. No.1.: 54–66

Key words:
Alkaline comet assay, leukocytes, biomonitoring, occupational exposure, ionizing radiation, microwave radiation, antineoplastic drugs, pesticides

Abstract:
The alkaline comet assay was selected as a biomarker of exposure to evaluate the ongoing occupational exposure to physical and chemical mutagens. The primary DNA damage was evaluated by measuring the extent of DNA migration in peripheral blood leukocytes. Parameters of comet assay were studied in 50 medical workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation, 10 radar facility workers exposed to microwave radiation, 50 medical workers handling antineoplastic drugs, 10 workers employed in pesticide production, and in 50 corresponding unexposed control subjects. It was found that the subjects who were occupationally exposed to physical and chemical mutagens for various periods of time showed highly significant increase in levels of DNA damage compared to the controls. In some occupationally exposed subjects smoking habit significantly elevated the level of primary DNA damage. The results obtained have confirmed the usefulness of the alkaline comet assay as an additional complement to the standard biodosimetric method, reflecting the current level of DNA damage and/or repair in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Received: 16 May 2003
Accepted: 12 September 2003

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