Detecting DNA repair capacity of human lymphocytes exposed to ultraviolet C with comet assay / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess DNA repair capacity of human lymphocytes with comet assay.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fresh lymphocytes form twelve 26-year old donors (6 males, 6 females) were exposed to ultraviolet C (UVC, 254 nm) at the dose rate of 1.5 J/m(2). The lymphocytes of each donor were divided into three parts UVC group, UVC + aphidicolin (APC) group, UVC + novobiocin (NOV) group. DNA single strand breaks were detected with comet assay in UVC-irradiated cells and unirradiated cells incubated for 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 min. DNA repair rate (DRR) was calculated and served as an indicator of DNA repair capacity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The maximum average comet tail length (MTL) in three groups appeared 90 min after UVC exposure. The DRR range of UVC group was 81.84% (62.84% - 98.71%); There was no significant difference in DRR between males and females (P > 0.05). However, the average DRRs of UVC + NOV group and UVC + APC group (52.98% and 39.57% respectively) were significantly lower than that of UVC group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Comet assay is a rapid and simple screening test to assess DNA repair capacity. DRR, as an indicator, may express the individual DNA repair capacity.</p>