title: Comparative evaluation of the in vitro micronucleus test and the comet assay for the detection of genotoxic effects of X-ray radiation.
abstract: The genotoxic effects of X-ray radiation on human lymphocytes were measured using the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay (comet assay) and the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) test; both were carried out in vitro on isolated human lymphocytes in order to compare the relationship and sensitivity of these two detecting methods. The radiation-doses were 0.00, 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 Gy. In the comet assay, the average comet length (38.6+/-0.8 microm) of 0.05 Gy was significantly longer than that (29.4+/-1.1 microm) of 0 Gy (P<0.01), moreover, the average comet length increased with the dose of X-ray radiation. In the CBMN, both the average micronucleus rate (MN) and micronucleated cell rate (MNC) of 0.05 Gy were 11.5+/-4.5 per thousand, which showed no difference with that (7.5+/-0.5 per thousand) of 0 Gy (P>0.05). The lowest dose, which induced significant increase of average MN and MNC, was 0.25 Gy. The average MN and MNC rates increased with radiation-dose. The results showed that there was correlation between SCGE and CBMN, and the sensitivity of SCGE was significantly higher than that of CBMN.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310006, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China. hejl@sun.zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009154:Mutation