title: DNA damage and repair in lymphocytes of normal individuals and cancer patients: studies by the comet assay and micronucleus tests.
abstract: A population study is reported in which the DNA damage induced by g-radiation (2 Gy) and the kinetics of the subsequent repair were estimated by the comet and micronucleus assays in isolated lymphocytes of 82 healthy donors and patients with head and neck cancer before radiotherapy. The parameters of background and radiation-induced DNA damage, rate of repair, and residual non-repaired damage were measured by comet assay, and the repair kinetics for every donor were computer-fitted to an exponential curve. The level of background DNA damage before irradiation measured by comet assay as well as the level of micronuclei were significantly higher in the head and neck cancer patient group than in the healthy donors, while the parameters of repair were widely scattered in both groups. Cancer patient group contained significantly more individuals, whose irradiated lymphocytes showed high DNA damage, low repair rate and high non-repaired DNA damage level. Lymphocytes of donors belonging to this subgroup showed significantly lower inhibition of cell cycle after irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, National Academy of Sciences, Lviv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Olena
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Palyvoda
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polańska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wygoda
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rzeszowska-Wolny
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D012016:Reference Values