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Fenech M, Holland N, Zeiger E, Chang PW, Kirsch-Volders M, Bolognesi C, Stopper H, Knudsen LE, Knasmueller S, Nersesyan A, Thomas P, Dhillon V, Deo P, Franzke B, Andreassi MG, Laffon B, Wagner KH, Norppa H, da Silva J, Volpi EV, Wilkins R, Bonassi S. Objectives and achievements of the HUMN project on its 26th anniversary. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2024; 794:108511. [PMID: 39233049 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2024.108511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Micronuclei (MN) are a nuclear abnormality that occurs when chromosome fragments or whole chromosomes are not properly segregated during mitosis and consequently are excluded from the main nuclei and wrapped within nuclear membrane to form small nuclei. This maldistribution of genetic material leads to abnormal cellular genomes which may increase risk of developmental defects, cancers, and accelerated aging. Despite the potential importance of MN as biomarkers of genotoxicity, very little was known about the optimal way to measure MN in humans, the normal ranges of values of MN in healthy humans and the prospective association of MN with developmental and degenerative diseases prior to the 1980's. In the early 1980's two important methods to measure MN in humans were developed namely, the cytokinesis-block MN (CBMN) assay using peripheral blood lymphocytes and the Buccal MN assay that measures MN in epithelial cells from the oral mucosa. These discoveries greatly increased interest to use MN assays in human studies. In 1997 the Human Micronucleus (HUMN) project was founded to initiate an international collaboration to (i) harmonise and standardise the techniques used to perform the lymphocyte CBMN assay and the Buccal MN assay; (ii) establish and collate databases of MN frequency in human populations world-wide which also captured demographic, lifestyle and environmental genotoxin exposure data and (iii) use these data to identify the most important variables affecting MN frequency and to also determine whether MN predict disease risk. In this paper we briefly describe the achievements of the HUMN project during the period from the date of its foundation on 9th September 1997 until its 26th Anniversary in 2023, which included more than 200 publications and 23 workshops world-wide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fenech
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia; Genome Health Foundation, North Brighton, SA 5048, Australia.
| | - Nina Holland
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | | | - Peter Wushou Chang
- Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhwa, Taiwan; TUFTS University Medical School, Boston, USA.
| | - Micheline Kirsch-Volders
- Laboratory for Cell Genetics, Department Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
| | - Claudia Bolognesi
- Environmental Carcinogenesis Unit, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Helga Stopper
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97080, Germany.
| | - Lisbeth E Knudsen
- Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Siegfried Knasmueller
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Armen Nersesyan
- Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Philip Thomas
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
| | - Varinderpal Dhillon
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
| | - Permal Deo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia.
| | - Bernhard Franzke
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | | | - Blanca Laffon
- Universidade da Coruña, Grupo DICOMOSA, CICA-Centro Interdisciplinar de Química e Bioloxía, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, and Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Sergas, A Coruña, Spain.
| | - Karl-Heinz Wagner
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria; Research Platform Active Ageing, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | - Hannu Norppa
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki 00250, Finland.
| | - Juliana da Silva
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, La Salle University (UniLaSalle), Canoas, RS 92010-000, Brazil; PPGBM, Federal University of Brazil (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil.
| | - Emanuela V Volpi
- School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W6UW, UK.
| | - Ruth Wilkins
- Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada 775 Brookfield Rd, Ottawa K1A 1C1, Canada.
| | - Stefano Bonassi
- Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome 00166, Italy.
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Dhillon VS, Deo P, Fenech M. The Relationship between Telomere Length and Nucleoplasmic Bridges and Severity of Disease in Prostate Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3351. [PMID: 37444460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide (TTAGGG) sequences that stabilize the chromosome ends and play an important role in the prevention of cancer initiation and progression. Nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) are formed when chromatids remain joined together during mitotic anaphase either due to mis-repair of DNA breaks or due to chromatid end fusion as a result of telomere loss or telomere dysfunction. We tested the hypotheses that (i) telomere length (TL) is shorter in prostate cancer (PC) patients relative to healthy age-matched individuals, (ii) TL differs in different stages of PC and (iii) shorter TL is significantly correlated with NPBs formation in PC cases. TL was measured in whole blood by well-established quantitative PCR method and the frequency of NPBs was measured in lymphocytes using cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMNcyt) assay. Our results indicate that TL is shorter and NPBs are increased in PC patients relative to age-matched healthy controls. Furthermore, TL was significantly shorter (p = 0.03) in patients with a Gleason score more than 7 and there was also a significant trend of decreasing TL across all three stages (p trend = 0.01; Gleason score <7, 7 and >7). Furthermore, TL was significantly inversely correlated with NPB frequency in PC patients (r = -0.316; p = 0.001) but not in controls (r = 0.163; p = 0.06) and their relationships became stronger with higher Gleason scores. More studies are required that can confirm our observations and explore mechanistic differences in the role of telomeres in NPB formation in PC cases relative to non-cancer cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varinderpal S Dhillon
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Permal Deo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Michael Fenech
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
- Genome Health Foundation, North Brighton 5048, Australia
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Dhillon VS, Deo P, Fenech M. Effect of Selenium and Lycopene on Radiation Sensitivity in Prostate Cancer Patients Relative to Controls. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030979. [PMID: 36765936 PMCID: PMC9913686 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost half of prostate cancer (PC) patients receive radiation therapy as primary curative treatment. In spite of advances in our understanding of both nutrition and the genomics of prostate cancer, studies on the effects of nutrients on the radiation sensitivity of PC patients are lacking. We tested the hypothesis that low plasma levels of selenium and lycopene have detrimental effects on ionising radiation-induced DNA damage in prostate cancer patients relative to healthy individuals. The present study was performed in 106 PC patients and 132 age-matched controls. We found that the radiation-induced micronucleus (MN) and nuclear buds (NBuds) frequencies were significantly higher in PC patients with low selenium (p = 0.008 and p = 0.0006 respectively) or low lycopene (p = 0.007 and p = 0.0006 respectively) levels compared to the controls. The frequency of NBuds was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in PC patients who had low levels of both selenium and lycopene compared to (i) controls with low levels of both selenium and lycopene and (ii) PC patients with high levels of both selenium and lycopene (p = 0.0001). Our results support the hypothesis that low selenium and lycopene levels increase the sensitivity to radiation-induced DNA damage and suggest that nutrition-based treatment strategies are important to minimise the DNA-damaging effects in PC patients receiving radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varinderpal S. Dhillon
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
- Correspondence: (V.S.D.); (M.F.)
| | - Permal Deo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Michael Fenech
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
- Genome Health Foundation, North Brighton 5048, Australia
- Correspondence: (V.S.D.); (M.F.)
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Gozaly-Chianea Y, Roberts T, Slijepcevic P. The role of BRCA2 in the fragility of interstitial telomeric sites. MUTATION RESEARCH. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2022; 878:503476. [PMID: 35649669 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2022.503476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We examined frequencies of radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations, using classical cytological methods, and DNA damage in interphase and metaphase cells, using a combination of FISH, CO-FISH, TIF (telomere dysfunction induced assay) and simultaneous detection of DNA damage and telomeric sequences in metaphase chromosomes, in Chinese hamster cells defective in BRCA2 and control cells. Given that the Chinese hamster genome contains large blocks of interstitial telomeric sites, our results allow us to examine the role of BRCA2 in the potential fragility of these sites, but also whether BRCA2 affects DNA repair within terminal telomeric sequences. BRCA2 defective cells exhibited greater frequencies of DNA damage within interstitial telomeric sites, as well as within terminal telomeric sites, relative to control cells. Therefore, BRCA2 deficiency contributes to the telomere dysfunction phenotype in Chinese hamster cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaghoub Gozaly-Chianea
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Terry Roberts
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Predrag Slijepcevic
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK.
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Sharif R, Shahar S, Rajab NF, Fenech M. Dietary Pattern, Genomic Stability and Relative Cancer Risk in Asian Food Landscape. Nutr Cancer 2021; 74:1171-1187. [PMID: 34282666 DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2021.1952627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of cancer globally is increasing, partly due to lifestyle factors. Despite a better understanding of cancer biology and advancement in cancer management and therapies, current strategies in cancer treatment remain costly and cause socioeconomic burden especially in Asian countries. Hence, instead of putting more efforts in searches for new cancer cures, attention has now shifted to understanding how to mitigate cancer risk by modulating lifestyle factors. It has been established that carcinogenesis is multifactorial, and the important detrimental role of oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and genomic instability is evident. To date, there is no study linking dietary pattern and genomic stability in cancer risk in the Asian food landscape. Thus, this present review article discusses recent literature on dietary pattern and genomic stability and its relationship with cancer risk in Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razinah Sharif
- Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Suzana Shahar
- Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor Fadilah Rajab
- Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Michael Fenech
- Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,Genome Health Foundation, Adelaide, Australia
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Age-related activity of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) in men with localized prostate cancer. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 196:111494. [PMID: 33887280 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in DNA repair genes have been connected with familial prostate cancer and sensitivity to targeted drugs like PARP-inhibitors. Clinical use of this information is limited by the small fraction of prostate cancer risk gene carriers, variants of unknown pathogenicity and the focus on monogenic disease mechanisms. Functional assays capturing mono- and polygenic defects were shown to detect breast and ovarian cancer risk in blood-derived cells. Here, we comparatively analyzed lymphocytes from prostate cancer patients and controls applying a sensitive DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair assay and a flow cytometrybased assay measuring the activity of Poly(ADP-Ribose)-Polymerase, a target in treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Contrary to breast and ovarian cancer patients, error-prone DNA double-strand break repair was not activated in prostate cancer patients. Yet, the activity of PARP discriminated between prostate cancer cases and controls. PARylation also correlated with the age of male probands, suggesting male-specific links between mutation-based and aging-associated DNA damage accumulation and PARP. Our work identifies prostate cancer-specific DNA repair phenotypes characterized by increased PARP activities and carboplatin-sensitivities, detected by functional testing of lymphocytes. This provides new insights for further investigation of PARP and carboplatin sensitivity as biomarkers in peripheral cells of men and prostate cancer patients.
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Dhillon VS, Deo P, Bonassi S, Fenech M. Lymphocyte micronuclei frequencies in skin, haematological, prostate, colorectal and esophageal cancer cases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2021; 787:108372. [PMID: 34083057 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Micronucleus (MN) assay has been widely used as a biomarker of DNA damage, chromosomal instability, cancer risk and accelerated aging in many epidemiological studies. In this narrative review and meta-analysis we assessed the association between lymphocyte micronuclei (MNi) and cancers of the skin, blood, digestive tract, and prostate. The review identified nineteen studies with 717 disease subjects and 782 controls. Significant increases in MRi for MNi were observed in the following groups: subjects with blood cancer (MRi = 3.98; 95 % CI: 1.98-7.99; p = 0.000) and colorectal cancer (excluding IBD) (MRi = 2.69; 95 % CI: 1.82-3.98, p < 0.000). The results of this review suggest that lymphocyte MNi are a biomarker of DNA damage and chromosomal instability in people with haematological or colorectal cancers. However, the MRi for lymphocyte MNi in subjects with cancers of skin, prostate, esophagus was not significantly increased. More case-control and prospective studies are warranted to further verify the observed trends and to better understand the role of lymphocyte MNi as a biomarker of cancer risk in blood, skin, digestive tract and prostate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varinderpal S Dhillon
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5000, Australia.
| | - Permal Deo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5000, Australia
| | - Stefano Bonassi
- Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy; Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Fenech
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5000, Australia; Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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In vitro genotoxicity assessment of monopotassium glutamate and magnesium diglutamate. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 65:104780. [PMID: 31978514 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Food additives are approved chemicals used for various purposes in foods; to provide nutritional safety, increase flavor, extend shelf life, reduce nutrient losses etc. In this study, the in vitro genotoxic effects of flavor enhancers, Monopotassium glutamate (MPG) and Magnesium diglutamate (MDG) were investigated in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by using chromosome aberrations (CAs), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt), and comet assays. Four concentrations of MPG (125, 250, 500, and 1000 μg/mL) and MDG (93.75, 187.5, 375, and 750 μg/mL) were used. Both food additives significantly reduced mitotic index and increased the frequency of CAs at high concentrations. MPG and MDG (except 93.75 μg/mL) significantly increased SCEs/Cell in concentration-dependent manner. In the CBMN-Cyt test, both MPG and MDG increased the formation of micronucleus, nuclear buds, and nucleoplasmic bridges compared to control in a concentration-dependent manner. However, these increases were statistically significant at higher concentrations. MPG (at 500 and 1000 μg/mL) and MDG (except 93.75 μg/mL) significantly increased DNA damages observed by comet assay. It is concluded from these results that MPG and MDG have clastogenic, mutagenic, aneugenic, and cytotoxic effects, particularly at high concentrations in human lymphocytes in vitro.
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