title: DNA damage as an early biomarker of effect in human health.
abstract: In the last few decades the need for new approaches to assess DNA damage has been increasing due to the implications that different insults on genetic material may have on human health. In this context, the identification of how chemical agents with different mechanisms of action (i.e., antineoplastic drugs) damage DNA provides a good model to investigate some cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the basis of genetic toxicology. The nasal epithelium is the first barrier with which environmental pollutants interact, and for this reason this epithelium can be useful as a sentinel in order to assess the interactions between the environment and the living organisms. Taking these phenomena into account and using a simple, sensitive and rapid method such as the single cell gel electrophoresis, we could obtain information and an initial approach on the DNA status. This assay in combination with other techniques that provide more information about other molecular parameters could give us a better view of the biological status of the living cell.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Biología Celular y Tisular, Facultad de Medicina, UNAM, México City, México.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mussali-Galante
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Avila-Costa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piñón-Zarate
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martínez-Levy
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Lara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rojas-Lemus
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Avila-Casado
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Fortoul
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D015262:Xenobiotics