[Study on DNA damage in rat bone marrow cells induced by mustard gas].
OBJECTIVE
To study the damage of DNA in rat bone marrow cells induced by mustard gas.


METHODS
Male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups. Physiological saline, propylene glycol and mustard gas(0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 mg/kg) were given separately by i.p. injection. 5 rats in each group were killed after 0, 24, 48, 72 hours of exposure. The DNA damage in rat bone marrow cells was assayed by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE).


RESULTS
There is no significant difference of DNA damage among all groups at 0 h(P > 0.05). The rates of DNA migration and the lengths of DNA migration of the rat bone marrow cells in propylene glycol group at 24, 48, 72 hours were 15.4% +/- 0.21%, 16.0% +/- 0.19%, 15.7% +/- 0.23% and (11.4 +/- 0.2), (13.5 +/- 0.3), (12.8 +/- 0.2) micron respectively, and they were significantly higher than those of physiological saline group at the same time(P < 0.05). The rates of DNA migration and the lengths of DNA migration of the rat bone marrow cells in mustard gas groups at 24, 48, 72 hours were significantly higher than those in physiological saline group and propylene glycol group at the same time(P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Mustard gas could induce DNA damage in rat bone marrow cells. The damage was likely to rise as the dose increased and was time-dependent.
Zhu
Yongfei
Y
Department of Preventive Medicine, Nanjing Military Medical College, Second Military Medical University of the PLA, Nanjing 210099, China.
Li
Lugang
L
Guo
Xuebin
X
Xia
Meng
M
Xue
Ning
N
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
D009151:Mustard Gas