title: Biomarker monitoring for health risk based on sensitivity to environmental mutagens.
abstract: Ongoing human and environmental genome programs have generated a tremendous amount of information regarding the genetic basis for human disease. The information can be used to enhance existing bioassays, as well as to develop new bioassays for improving human monitoring with the goal of disease prevention. In this review, some biomarkers that can be used for the purpose are presented, with an emphasis on using biomarkers to monitor human sensitivity to environmental mutagens. The application of biomarkers in clarifying the role of inherited and acquired susceptibility for developing environmental disease will be discussed. We emphasize the use of biomarkers that can detect mutagen sensitivity and DNA repair deficiency in the humans as an indication of susceptibility to disease. Such sensitivity can be either genetically determined or acquired from the exposure to environmental mutagens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA. william.au@utmb.edu
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oberheitmann
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D015415:Biomarkers; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics*; D004260:DNA Repair; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009153:Mutagens