title: The comet assay as a method of assessment of neurotoxicity: usefulness for drugs of abuse.
abstract: Comet assay is a quick and versatile method for assessing DNA damage in individual cells. It allows the detection of single and double DNA strand breaks, as well as the presence of alkali labile sites. DNA breaks may represent the direct effect of some damaging agent, or they may be intermediates in cellular repair. DNA strand breaks may also come from the action of free radicals generated by oxidative stress processes. The present article summarizes some data from our and other groups underlining the suitability of the Comet assay in assessing neurotoxicity and its potential in evaluating drugs of abuse-related genotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, E Biologia Applicata, Università di Pisa, Via Volta, 4, I-56126 Pisa, Italy. giada@biomed.unipi.it
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frenzilli
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scarcelli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fornai
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paparelli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nigro
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*