Comparison of DNA damage in fresh and frozen blood samples: implications for the comet assay in human biomonitoring studies.

Autor: Matković K; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia., Gerić M; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia., Kazensky L; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia., Milić M; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia., Kašuba V; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia., Cvitković A; Teaching Institute of Public Health Brod-Posavina County, Slavonski Brod, Croatia.; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.; Faculty of Medicine, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia., Sanković M; City of Vinkovci, Department of Physical Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, Vinkovci, Croatia., Šumanovac A; Faculty of Medicine, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.; County General Hospital Vinkovci, Vinkovci, Croatia., Møller P; Department of Public Health, Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark., Gajski G; Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia. ggajski@imi.hr.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Archives of toxicology [Arch Toxicol] 2024 Oct; Vol. 98 (10), pp. 3467-3476. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 14.
DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03823-1
Abstrakt: The use of the comet assay in large biomonitoring studies may present logistical and technical challenges because of the processing of numerous samples. Proper sample preservation becomes imperative to prevent spurious DNA breakage. Previous research has shown the feasibility of conducting the comet assay on frozen blood samples, highlighting the potential of freezing at - 80 °C in preserving DNA integrity. Nonetheless, this approach presents challenges, including potential DNA damage during freezing and thawing, variability in processing, and the need for standardized protocols. Our objective was to evaluate whether there are comparable results in DNA migration assessed by the comet assay between fresh and frozen blood samples on a larger scale (N = 373). In our findings, elevated DNA migration was evident in frozen samples relative to fresh ones. Additionally, smoking, alcohol consumption, and season were linked to increased DNA damage levels in whole blood cells. Based on our results and available literature, conducting the comet assay on frozen blood samples emerges as a practical and efficient approach for biomonitoring and epidemiological research. This method enables the assessment of DNA damage in large populations over time, with samples, if properly cryopreserved, that may be used for years, possibly even decades. These observations hold significant implications for large-scale human biomonitoring and long-term epidemiological studies, particularly when samples are collected during fieldwork or obtained from biobanks. Continued method optimization and validation efforts are essential to enhance the utility of this approach in environmental and occupational health studies, emphasizing caution when comparing data obtained between fresh and frozen blood samples.
(© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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