title: Assessment of DNA damage in car spray painters exposed to organic solvents by the high-throughput comet assay.
abstract: Occupational exposure as a painter is associated with DNA damage and development of cancer. Comet assay has been widely adopted as a sensitive and quantitative tool for DNA damage assessment at the individual cell level in populations exposed to genotoxics. The aim of this study was to assess the application of the high-throughput comet assay, to determine the DNA damage in car spray painters. The study population included 52 car spray painters and 52 unexposed subjects. A significant increase in the %TDNA median (p <  0.001) was observed in the exposed group in comparison to the unexposed group. Neither age (%TDNA: p =  0.913) nor time of exposure (%TDNA: p = 0.398) were significantly correlated with DNA damage. The car spray painters who consumed alcohol did not show a significant increase in DNA damage compared to nonalcohol consumers (p  > 0.05). The results showed an increase in DNA breaks in car spray painters exposed to organic solvents and paints; furthermore, they demonstrated the application of high-throughput comet assay in an occupational exposure study to genotoxic agents.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , Research Group Genetic Toxicology and Cytogenetics, Faculty of Natural, Exact Sciences and Education, Universidad del Cauca , Popayán, Cauca , Colombia .|b Department of Basic Sciences of Health , Faculty of Sciences of Health, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana seccional Cali , Cali, Valle del Cauca , Colombia , and.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Londoño-Velasco
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , Research Group Genetic Toxicology and Cytogenetics, Faculty of Natural, Exact Sciences and Education, Universidad del Cauca , Popayán, Cauca , Colombia .
authors.forename: Fabián
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martínez-Perafán
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , Research Group Genetic Toxicology and Cytogenetics, Faculty of Natural, Exact Sciences and Education, Universidad del Cauca , Popayán, Cauca , Colombia .
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carvajal-Varona
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physiologic Sciences , Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis, Faculty of Health, Universidad del Valle , Cali, Valle del Cauca , Colombia.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-Vallejo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , Research Group Genetic Toxicology and Cytogenetics, Faculty of Natural, Exact Sciences and Education, Universidad del Cauca , Popayán, Cauca , Colombia .
authors.forename: Luz Stella
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hoyos-Giraldo
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020552:Comet Assay; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D010150:Paint / Q000032:analysis*; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents
keywords: Biomonitoring; DNA damage; car spray painters; high-throughput comet assay; occupational exposure; organic solvents