title: Reliability of plant root comet assay in comparison with human leukocyte comet assay for assessment environmental genotoxic agents.
abstract: Comet assay is an efficient test to detect genotoxic compounds based on observation of DNA damage. The aim of this work was to compare the results obtained from the comet assay in two different type of cells extracted from the root tips from Lactuca sativa L. and human blood. For this, Spent Pot Liner (SPL), and its components (aluminum and fluoride) were applied as toxic agents. SPL is a solid waste generated in industry from the aluminum mining and processing with known toxicity. Three concentrations of all tested solutions were applied and the damages observed were compared to negative and positive controls. It was observed an increase in the frequency of DNA damage for human leukocytes and plant cells, in all treatments. On human leukocytes, SPL induced the highest percentage of damage, with an average of 87.68%. For root tips cells of L. sativa the highest percentage of damage was detected for aluminum (93.89%). Considering the arbitrary units (AU), the average of nuclei with high levels of DNA fragmentation was significant for both cells type evaluated. The tested cells demonstrated equal effectiveness for detection of the genotoxicity induced by the SPL and its chemical components, aluminum and fluoride. Further, using a unique method, the comet assay, we proved that cells from root tips of Lactuca sativa represent a reliable model to detect DNA damage induced by genotoxic pollutants is in agreement of those observed in human leukocytes as model. So far, plant cells may be suggested as important system to assess the toxicological risk of environmental agents.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Barreto Dos
authors.initials: GBD
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: lfandrade.vieira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Larissa Fonseca
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Andrade-Vieira
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabella de Campos
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Henrique Souza
authors.initials: PHS
authors.lastname: César
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcussi
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lisete Chamma
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Davide
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004249:DNA Damage; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D018519:Meristem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009153:Mutagens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000633:toxicity; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens; D010710:Phosphates; C012980:fluorophosphate; D000535:Aluminum; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: Aluminum; DNA damage; Fluoride; Genotoxicity