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Louzon M, de Vaufleury A, Capelli N. Ecogenotoxicity assessment with land snails: A mini-review. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2023; 792:108472. [PMID: 37690511 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2023.108472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
In the context of the increasing environmental and sanitary crisis, it is accepted that soil pollution can cause health alterations and disturb natural population dynamics. Consequently, the assessment of the genotoxic potential of compounds found in contaminated soils is important. Indeed, the alteration of genomic integrity may increase the risk of cancer development and may impair reproduction and long-term population dynamics. Among the methodologies to assess terrestrial genotoxic potential, there has been growing interest during the last decade in monitoring alterations of the genome in bioindicators of soil quality. As some land snail species are recognized bioindicators of soil quality, especially to assess the environmental and toxicological bioavailability of compounds, this review focuses on current knowledge regarding the genotoxicology of land snails. Classical biomarkers to assess genotoxic effects have been used (e.g., DNA breakage, micronuclei, random amplification polymorphic DNA) at various stages of the life cycle, including embryos. The studies were performed in vitro, in vivo, in situ and ex situ and covered a diverse set of contaminants (nanoparticles, metal(loid)s, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and snail species (Cantareus aspersus, Eobania vermiculata, Theba pisana, Helix lucorum). Based on recent studies reviewed here, the use of land snails to map soil genotoxic potential is promising due to their ability to reveal pollution and subsequent environmental risks. Moreover, the position of snails in the trophic chain and the existing bridges between contaminant bioavailability to snails and bioaccessibility to humans reinforce the value of land snail-based ecotoxicological assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Louzon
- Ecosystem department, ENVISOL, 2 rue Hector Berlioz, 38110 La Tour du Pin, France
| | - Annette de Vaufleury
- UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, University of Franche-Comté, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Capelli
- UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, University of Franche-Comté, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France.
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2
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Measuring DNA modifications with the comet assay: a compendium of protocols. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:929-989. [PMID: 36707722 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00754-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 105.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The comet assay is a versatile method to detect nuclear DNA damage in individual eukaryotic cells, from yeast to human. The types of damage detected encompass DNA strand breaks and alkali-labile sites (e.g., apurinic/apyrimidinic sites), alkylated and oxidized nucleobases, DNA-DNA crosslinks, UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and some chemically induced DNA adducts. Depending on the specimen type, there are important modifications to the comet assay protocol to avoid the formation of additional DNA damage during the processing of samples and to ensure sufficient sensitivity to detect differences in damage levels between sample groups. Various applications of the comet assay have been validated by research groups in academia, industry and regulatory agencies, and its strengths are highlighted by the adoption of the comet assay as an in vivo test for genotoxicity in animal organs by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The present document includes a series of consensus protocols that describe the application of the comet assay to a wide variety of cell types, species and types of DNA damage, thereby demonstrating its versatility.
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Gajski G, Ravlić S, Godschalk R, Collins A, Dusinska M, Brunborg G. Application of the comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage in mature sperm. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2021; 788:108398. [PMID: 34893163 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA integrity is considered an important parameter of semen quality and is of significant value as a predictor of male fertility. Currently, there are several methods that can assess sperm DNA integrity. One such assay is the comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis, which is a simple, sensitive, reliable, quick and low-cost technique that is used for measuring DNA strand breaks and repair at the level of individual cells. Although the comet assay is usually performed with somatic cells from different organs, the assay has the ability to detect genotoxicity in germ cells at different stages of spermatogenesis. Since the ability of sperm to remove DNA damage differs between the stages, interpretation of the results is dependent on the cells used. In this paper we give an overview on the use and applications of the comet assay on mature sperm and its ability to detect sperm DNA damage in both animals and humans. Overall, it can be concluded that the presence in sperm of significantly damaged DNA, assessed by the comet assay, is related to male infertility and seems to reduce live births. Although there is some evidence that sperm DNA damage also has a long-term impact on offspring's health, this aspect of DNA damage in sperm is understudied and deserves further attention. In summary, the comet assay can be applied as a useful tool to study effects of genotoxic exposures on sperm DNA integrity in animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Gajski
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Mutagenesis Unit, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Sanda Ravlić
- University of Zagreb, Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Roger Godschalk
- Maastricht University, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew Collins
- University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Nutrition, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Dusinska
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Health Effects Laboratory, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Gunnar Brunborg
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Section of Molecular Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway
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Gajski G, Gerić M, Živković Semren T, Tariba Lovaković B, Oreščanin V, Pizent A. Application of the comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage from frozen human whole blood samples: Implications for human biomonitoring. Toxicol Lett 2019; 319:58-65. [PMID: 31730884 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This study proposes the application of the comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage from frozen human whole blood samples that could be readily used in human biomonitoring and epidemiological studies. It was done on simply frozen whole blood samples collected from male volunteers (N = 60) aliquoted in small volumes and stored at -80 °C without the addition of cryopreservatives for a period of 5 years. To test the applicability of the alkaline comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage in frozen whole blood, samples were quickly thawed at 37 °C and immediately embedded in an agarose matrix followed by an alkaline comet assay procedure. We concluded that the whole blood freezing and prolonged storage do not severely affect comet assay values, although background values were higher compared to our historical control data from the fresh whole blood. Even the influence of the variables tested, such as age, body mass index, smoking habit and alcohol consumption were in agreement with our previous data using fresh blood. The obtained results suggest that the comet assay could be applied to frozen blood samples, if properly stored, even for decades, which would certainly facilitate large-scale human biomonitoring and long-term epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Gajski
- Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Marko Gerić
- Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tanja Živković Semren
- Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Blanka Tariba Lovaković
- Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Alica Pizent
- Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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5
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Manganese oxide nanoparticles induce genotoxicity and DNA hypomethylation in the moss Physcomitrella patens. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2019; 842:146-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Sargsyan A, Simonyan A, Hovhannisyan G, Arakelyan M, Aroutiounian R. Application of the comet assay, micronucleus test and global DNA methylation analysis in Darevskia lizards as a sentinel organism for genotoxic monitoring of soil pollution. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2019; 842:117-124. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Gajski G, Žegura B, Ladeira C, Pourrut B, Del Bo’ C, Novak M, Sramkova M, Milić M, Gutzkow KB, Costa S, Dusinska M, Brunborg G, Collins A. The comet assay in animal models: From bugs to whales – (Part 1 Invertebrates). MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2019; 779:82-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Кurinnyi DA, Demchenko OM, Romanenko MG, Rushkovsky SR. THE IMPACT OF ASTAXANTHIN ON THE LEVEL OF DNA METHYLATION IN IRRADIATED IN VITRO HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES. PROBLEMY RADIAT︠S︡IĬNOÏ MEDYT︠S︡YNY TA RADIOBIOLOHIÏ 2018; 23:235-245. [PMID: 30582849 DOI: 10.33145/2304-8336-2018-23-235-245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate an effect of astaxanthin on global DNA methylation in human peripheral blood lympho-cytes exposed to γ-radiation in vitro. METHODS Samples of whole blood were diluted with RPMI-1640 medium in proportion 1 : 10 and incubated at 37 °Cfor 3 h. Samples were exposed to γ-ray (emitter IBL-237C, dose-rate 2.34 Gy/min) in dose 1.0 Gy. Astaxanthin wasadded into culture medium in final concentrations 20.0 μg/ml before irradiation. The analysis of the global DNAmethylation state was carried out using modified method of neutral single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay)after digestion with the methylation-sensitive endonuclease HpaII. RESULTS For every experiment the analysis of the frequency distribution of «comets» was carried out. The treatmentof non-irradiated and irradiated human peripheral blood lymphocytes with astaxanthin resulted to a statisticallysignificant (p < 0.05) shift of comet distribution with tendency to increasing level of DNA migration which indicatesincrease in the pool of cells with a reduced level of DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS It has been found that astaxanthin in concentration of 20.0 μg/ml reduced the levels of global DNAmethylation both in irradiated in vitro and native human lymphocytes. It suggests that astaxanthin has an effect onmechanisms of epigenetic regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Кurinnyi
- State institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53, Melnykova str., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine
| | - O M Demchenko
- State institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53, Melnykova str., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine
| | - M G Romanenko
- Educational and Research Center «Institute of Biology and Medicine» Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 64/13, Volodymyrska str., Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine
| | - S R Rushkovsky
- Educational and Research Center «Institute of Biology and Medicine» Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 64/13, Volodymyrska str., Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine
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Catala GN, Bestwick CS, Russell WR, Tortora K, Giovannelli L, Moyer MP, Lendoiro E, Duthie SJ. Folate, genomic stability and colon cancer: The use of single cell gel electrophoresis in assessing the impact of folate in vitro, in vivo and in human biomonitoring. Mutat Res 2018; 843:73-80. [PMID: 31421742 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Intake of folate (vitamin B9) is strongly inversely linked with human cancer risk, particularly colon cancer. In general, people with the highest dietary intake of folate or with high blood folate levels are at a reduced risk (approx. 25%) of developing colon cancer. Folate acts in normal cellular metabolism to maintain genomic stability through the provision of nucleotides for DNA replication and DNA repair and by regulating DNA methylation and gene expression. Folate deficiency can accelerate carcinogenesis by inducing misincorporation of uracil into DNA, by increasing DNA strand breakage, by inhibiting DNA base excision repair capacity and by inducing DNA hypomethylation and consequently aberrant gene and protein expression. Conversely, increasing folate intake may improve genomic stability. This review describes key applications of single cell gel electrophoresis (the comet assay) in assessing genomic instability (misincorporated uracil, DNA single strand breakage and DNA repair capacity) in response to folate status (deficient or supplemented) in human cells in vitro, in rodent models and in human case-control and intervention studies. It highlights an adaptation of the SCGE comet assay for measuring genome-wide and gene-specific DNA methylation in human cells and colon tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema Nadal Catala
- Natural Products Group, Division of Lifelong Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Charles S Bestwick
- Natural Products Group, Division of Lifelong Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Wendy R Russell
- Natural Products Group, Division of Lifelong Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Katia Tortora
- Department NEUROFARBA, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lisa Giovannelli
- Department NEUROFARBA, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Elena Lendoiro
- Department of Toxicology, Institute of Forensic Sciences, University of Santiago of Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Susan J Duthie
- Natural Products Group, Division of Lifelong Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
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Physical principles and new applications of comet assay. Biophys Chem 2018; 238:1-7. [PMID: 29704770 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The comet assay is a sensitive method to assess DNA damages in single cells. The approach consists of an analysis of electrophoretic migration of DNA from nucleoids obtained after cell lysis in a thin layer of agarose. Although the method is widely used the physical mechanisms of DNA track formation remained to be rather elusive for a long time. This review is devoted to our recent results pertaining to this subject, using an original approach based on the kinetic measurements of the comet formation. We argue that linear DNA fragments give an essential contribution into the tail formation in the alkaline conditions and, at neutral pH, when the level of DNA damages is very high. On the other hand, in the neutral comet assay at low levels of DNA damages (and also in the case of undamaged cells) the tail is formed by extended DNA loops. These loops are about the same as chromatin loops in the cell nuclei. Kinetic measurements in the comet assay give an opportunity to investigate the topology of the loops and large-scale features of the loop domain organization (and re-organization) in nucleoids obtained from different cell types.
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11
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Kusari F, O'Doherty AM, Hodges NJ, Wojewodzic MW. Bi-directional effects of vitamin B 12 and methotrexate on Daphnia magna fitness and genomic methylation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11872. [PMID: 28928387 PMCID: PMC5605502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we interrogated, using three separate but complementary experimental approaches, the impact of vitamin B12 availability and methotrexate exposure on Daphnia magna, which we hypothesised should have an opposite effect on One carbon metabolism (OCM). OCM is a vital biological process supporting a variety of physiological processes, including DNA methylation. Contrary to mammalian models, this process remains largely unexplored in invertebrates. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the impact of OCM short-term alteration on the fitness and epigenome of the keystone species, Daphnia. We used maternal age at reproduction, brood size and survival rates in combination with DNA methylation sensitive comet assay to determine the effects of vitamin B12 or MTX on fitness and the epigenome. Vitamin B12 had a positive influence on Daphnia fitness and we provide evidence demonstrating that this may be associated with an increased level of genome-wide DNA methylation. Conversely, exposing D. magna to MTX negatively influenced the fitness of the animals and was associated with loss of global DNA methylation, translating in decreased fitness. These results highlight the potential importance of OCM in invertebrates, providing novel evidence supporting a potential role for epigenetic modifications to the genome in D. magna environmental adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fitore Kusari
- University of Birmingham, School of Biosciences, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT,, UK
| | - Alan M O'Doherty
- School of Agriculture & Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Nikolas J Hodges
- University of Birmingham, School of Biosciences, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT,, UK
| | - Marcin W Wojewodzic
- University of Birmingham, School of Biosciences, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT,, UK.
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Dusinska M, Tulinska J, El Yamani N, Kuricova M, Liskova A, Rollerova E, Rundén-Pran E, Smolkova B. Immunotoxicity, genotoxicity and epigenetic toxicity of nanomaterials: New strategies for toxicity testing? Food Chem Toxicol 2017; 109:797-811. [PMID: 28847762 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The unique properties of nanomaterials (NMs) are beneficial in numerous industrial and medical applications. However, they could also induce unintended effects. Thus, a proper strategy for toxicity testing is essential in human hazard and risk assessment. Toxicity can be tested in vivo and in vitro; in compliance with the 3Rs, alternative strategies for in vitro testing should be further developed for NMs. Robust, standardized methods are of great importance in nanotoxicology, with comprehensive material characterization and uptake as an integral part of the testing strategy. Oxidative stress has been shown to be an underlying mechanism of possible toxicity of NMs, causing both immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. For testing NMs in vitro, a battery of tests should be performed on cells of human origin, either cell lines or primary cells, in conditions as close as possible to an in vivo situation. Novel toxicity pathways, particularly epigenetic modification, should be assessed along with conventional toxicity testing methods. However, to initiate epigenetic toxicity screens for NM exposure, there is a need to better understand their adverse effects on the epigenome, to identify robust and reproducible causal links between exposure, epigenetic changes and adverse phenotypic endpoints, and to develop improved assays to monitor epigenetic toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dusinska
- Health Effects Laboratory, Department of Environmental Chemistry-MILK, NILU- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Kjeller, Norway.
| | - Jana Tulinska
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology and Immunotoxicology, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Naouale El Yamani
- Health Effects Laboratory, Department of Environmental Chemistry-MILK, NILU- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Miroslava Kuricova
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology and Immunotoxicology, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Aurelia Liskova
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology and Immunotoxicology, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Rollerova
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Toxicology, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Elise Rundén-Pran
- Health Effects Laboratory, Department of Environmental Chemistry-MILK, NILU- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Bozena Smolkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Townsend TA, Parrish MC, Engelward BP, Manjanatha MG. The development and validation of EpiComet-Chip, a modified high-throughput comet assay for the assessment of DNA methylation status. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2017; 58:508-521. [PMID: 28755435 PMCID: PMC5839338 DOI: 10.1002/em.22101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
DNA damage and alterations in global DNA methylation status are associated with multiple human diseases and are frequently correlated with clinically relevant information. Therefore, assessing DNA damage and epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, is critical for predicting human exposure risk of pharmacological and biological agents. We previously developed a higher-throughput platform for the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, CometChip, to assess DNA damage and genotoxic potential. Here, we utilized the methylation-dependent endonuclease, McrBC, to develop a modified alkaline comet assay, "EpiComet," which allows single platform evaluation of genotoxicity and global DNA methylation [5-methylcytosine (5-mC)] status of single-cell populations under user-defined conditions. Further, we leveraged the CometChip platform to create an EpiComet-Chip system capable of performing quantification across simultaneous exposure protocols to enable unprecedented speed and simplicity. This system detected global methylation alterations in response to exposures which included chemotherapeutic and environmental agents. Using EpiComet-Chip on 63 matched samples, we correctly identified single-sample hypermethylation (≥1.5-fold) at 87% (20/23), hypomethylation (≥1.25-fold) at 100% (9/9), with a 4% (2/54) false-negative rate (FNR), and 10% (4/40) false-positive rate (FPR). Using a more stringent threshold to define hypermethylation (≥1.75-fold) allowed us to correctly identify 94% of hypermethylation (17/18), but increased our FPR to 16% (7/45). The successful application of this novel technology will aid hazard identification and risk characterization of FDA-regulated products, while providing utility for investigating epigenetic modes of action of agents in target organs, as the assay is amenable to cultured cells or nucleated cells from any tissue. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:508-521, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A. Townsend
- United States Food & Drug Administration, National Center for Toxicological Research, Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, Jefferson, AR, USA
- Correspondence to: Todd Townsend, United States Food & Drug Administration, National Center for Toxicological Research, Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, 3900 NCTR Road, Jefferson, AR, USA, ; Phone: +1 (870) 543-7155
| | - Marcus C. Parrish
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Engineering, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bevin P. Engelward
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Engineering, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mugimane G. Manjanatha
- United States Food & Drug Administration, National Center for Toxicological Research, Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, Jefferson, AR, USA
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Koppen G, Azqueta A, Pourrut B, Brunborg G, Collins AR, Langie SAS. The next three decades of the comet assay: a report of the 11th International Comet Assay Workshop. Mutagenesis 2017; 32:397-408. [DOI: 10.1093/mutage/gex002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gudrun Koppen
- Environmental Risk and Health unit, Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium,
| | - Amaya Azqueta
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, and IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31009 Pamplona, Spain,
| | - Bertrand Pourrut
- ISA Lille – LGCgE, University of Lille Nord de France, 48 boulevard Vauban, 59046 Lille, France,
| | - Gunnar Brunborg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, Oslo, Norway and
| | - Andrew R. Collins
- Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, PB 1046 Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sabine A. S. Langie
- Environmental Risk and Health unit, Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium,
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15
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Georgieva M, Rashydov NM, Hajduch M. DNA damage, repair monitoring and epigenetic DNA methylation changes in seedlings of Chernobyl soybeans. DNA Repair (Amst) 2017; 50:14-21. [PMID: 28017527 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This pilot study was carried out to assess the effect of radio-contaminated Chernobyl environment on plant genome integrity 27 years after the accident. For this purpose, nuclei were isolated from root tips of the soybean seedlings harvested from plants grown in the Chernobyl area for seven generations. Neutral, neutral-alkaline, and methylation-sensitive comet assays were performed to evaluate the induction and repair of primary DNA damage and the epigenetic contribution to stress adaptation mechanisms. An increased level of single and double strand breaks in the radio-contaminated Chernobyl seedlings at the stage of primary root development was detected in comparison to the controls. However, the kinetics of the recovery of DNA breaks of radio-contaminated Chernobyl samples revealed that lesions were efficiently repaired at the stage of cotyledon. Methylation-sensitive comet assay revealed comparable levels in the CCGG methylation pattern between control and radio-contaminated samples with a slight increase of approximately 10% in the latter ones. The obtained preliminary data allow us to speculate about the onset of mechanisms providing an adaptation potential to the accumulated internal irradiation after the Chernobyl accident. Despite the limitations of this study, we showed that comet assay is a sensitive and flexible technique which can be efficiently used for genotoxic screening of plant specimens in natural and human-made radio-contaminated areas, as well as for safety monitoring of agricultural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariyana Georgieva
- Department of Reproduction and Developmental Biology, Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra, Slovakia; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Laboratory of Genome Dynamics and Stability, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Namik M Rashydov
- Department of Biophysics and Radiobiology, Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Martin Hajduch
- Department of Reproduction and Developmental Biology, Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra, Slovakia
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Wentzel JF, Lewies A, Bronkhorst AJ, van Dyk E, du Plessis LH, Pretorius PJ. Exposure to high levels of fumarate and succinate leads to apoptotic cytotoxicity and altered global DNA methylation profiles in vitro. Biochimie 2017; 135:28-34. [PMID: 28104508 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In the Krebs cycle, succinate is oxidized to fumarate by succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), followed by the conversion of fumarate to malate by fumarate hydratase (FH). In cells with defective SDH and FH, the Krebs cycle is congested, respiration impaired and fumarate and succinate accumulates. Several studies have indicated that the accumulation of these substrates are associated with cytotoxicity and oncogenesis. High levels of succinate and fumarate induce hypoxia inducible factor (HIF1A) hydroxylases, leading to the activation of oncogenic HIF pathways. However, the role of HIF as primary inducer of oncogenic change has been questioned, as other non-enzymatic mechanisms have been shown to interfere with cellular metabolism, cell signalling as well as disrupting protein function. Owing to the essential roles that SDH and FH play in cellular energy metabolism, and their associated tumor suppressor capacity, it is vital to understand the biochemical effects resulting from the accumulation of their associated metabolites. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of high concentrations of succinate and fumarate exposure on cell viability, genome integrity and global DNA methylation using a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell culture model. It was found that relatively high concentrations of succinate and fumarate cause a loss of cell viability, which seems to be orchestrated through an apoptotic pathway. Cells exposed to high levels of succinate also presented with elevated caspase 3 and/or caspase 7 levels. In addition, elevated levels of fumarate lead to extensive DNA fragmentation, which may contribute pathophysiologically by inducing chromosomal instability, while succinate demonstrated lower genotoxicity. Furthermore, both succinate and fumarate altered the global DNA methylation patterns via significant DNA hypermethylation. Since numerous studies have reported correlations between aberrant DNA methylation and oncogenesis, hypermethylation may contribute to the oncogenesis observed in cells exposed to high concentrations of these metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes F Wentzel
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMACEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.
| | - Angélique Lewies
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMACEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Abel J Bronkhorst
- Centre for Human Metabolomics, Biochemistry Division, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Etresia van Dyk
- Centre for Human Metabolomics, Biochemistry Division, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Lissinda H du Plessis
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHARMACEN), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Piet J Pretorius
- Centre for Human Metabolomics, Biochemistry Division, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
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17
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Langie SAS, Azqueta A, Collins AR. The comet assay: past, present, and future. Front Genet 2015; 6:266. [PMID: 26322077 PMCID: PMC4534839 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine A S Langie
- Environmental Risk and Health Unit, Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO) Mol, Belgium
| | - Amaya Azqueta
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Navarra Pamplona, Spain
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Marzagalli M, Casati L, Moretti RM, Montagnani Marelli M, Limonta P. Estrogen Receptor β Agonists Differentially Affect the Growth of Human Melanoma Cell Lines. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26225426 PMCID: PMC4520550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous melanoma is an aggressive malignancy; its incidence is increasing worldwide and its prognosis remains poor. Clinical observations indicate that estrogen receptor β (ERβ) is expressed in melanoma tissues and its expression decreases with tumor progression, suggesting its tumor suppressive function. These experiments were performed to investigate the effects of ERβ activation on melanoma cell growth. Methods and Results Protein expression was analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Cell proliferation was assessed by counting the cells by hemocytometer. ERβ transcriptional activity was evaluated by gene reporter assay. Global DNA methylation was analyzed by restriction enzyme assay and ERβ isoforms were identified by qRT-PCR. We demonstrated that ERβ is expressed in a panel of human melanoma cell lines (BLM, WM115, A375, WM1552). In BLM (NRAS-mutant) cells, ERβ agonists significantly and specifically inhibited cell proliferation. ERβ activation triggered its cytoplasmic-to-nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Moreover, the antiproliferative activity of ERβ agonists was associated with an altered expression of G1-S transition-related proteins. In these cells, global DNA was found to be hypomethylated when compared to normal melanocytes; this DNA hypomethylation status was reverted by ERβ activation. ERβ agonists also decreased the proliferation of WM115 (BRAF V600D-mutant) cells, while they failed to reduce the growth of A375 and WM1552 (BRAF V600E-mutant) cells. Finally, we could observe that ERβ isoforms are expressed at different levels in the various cell lines. Specific oncogenic mutations or differential expression of receptor isoforms might be responsible for the different responses of cell lines to ERβ agonists. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that ERβ is expressed in melanoma cell lines and that ERβ agonists differentially regulate the proliferation of these cells. These data confirm the notion that melanoma is a heterogeneous tumor and that genetic profiling is mandatory for the development of effective personalized therapeutic approaches for melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Marzagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Lavinia Casati
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberta M. Moretti
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marina Montagnani Marelli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Patrizia Limonta
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
- * E-mail:
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