[Use of comet assay for the risk assessment of oil- and chemical-industry workers].
BACKGROUND
The comet assay is a fluorescent microscopic method that is able to detect DNA strand-breaks even in non-proliferative cells in samples with low cell counts.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the authors was to measure genotoxic DNA damage and assess oxidative DNA damage caused by occupational exposure in groups exposed to benzene, polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates and styrene at the workplace in order to clarify whether the comet assay can be used as an effect marker tool in genotoxicology monitoring.


METHODS
In addition to the basic steps of the comet assay, one sample was treated with formamido-pirimidine-DNA-glycolase restriction-enzyme that measures oxidative DNA damage.


RESULTS
An increase was observed in tail moments in each group of untreated and Fpg-treated samples compared to the control.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that occupational exposure can be detected with the method. The comet assay may prove to be an excellent effect marker and a supplementary technique for monitoring the presence or absence of genotoxic effects.
Országos Kémiai Biztonsági Intézet Citogenetikai és Immunológiai Csoport Budapest Nagyvárad tér 2. 1097.
János
J
Megyesi
Országos Kémiai Biztonsági Intézet Citogenetikai és Immunológiai Csoport Budapest Nagyvárad tér 2. 1097.
Anna
A
Biró
Országos Kémiai Biztonsági Intézet Citogenetikai és Immunológiai Csoport Budapest Nagyvárad tér 2. 1097.
László
L
Wigmond
Országos Kémiai Biztonsági Intézet Citogenetikai és Immunológiai Csoport Budapest Nagyvárad tér 2. 1097.
Jenő
J
Major
Országos Kémiai Biztonsági Intézet Citogenetikai és Immunológiai Csoport Budapest Nagyvárad tér 2. 1097 Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Népegészségügyi Intézet Budapest.
Anna
A
Tompa
D000328:Adult; D001554:Benzene / Q000378:metabolism; D002617:Chemical Industry; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004126:Dimethylformamide / Q000378:metabolism; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020058:Styrene / Q000097:blood; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism; D014992:Xylenes / Q000378:metabolism
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D020058:Styrene; D004126:Dimethylformamide; D001554:Benzene
comet assay; effect marker; foglalkozási expozíció; genotoxicological monitor; géntoxikológiai monitor; hatásmarker; occupational exposure