DNA damage in hair root cells as a biomarker for gamma ray exposure

• Published in: Mutation research Vol. 756; no. 1-2; pp. 201 - 205
• Main Authors: Tepe Çam, Semra, Seyhan, Nesrin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 30.08.2013; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Adult; Bioassays; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - analysis; Cobalt Radioisotopes - administration & dosage; Cobalt Radioisotopes - adverse effects; Comet Assay; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded - radiation effects; DNA damage; Dose-response effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Female; Gamma ray; Gamma rays; Gamma Rays - adverse effects; Hair; Hair - chemistry; Hair - metabolism; Hair - radiation effects; Hair analysis; Hair root cells; Human exposure; Humans; Ionizing radiation; Male; Middle Aged; Radiation; Radiation biomarker; Gamma ray; Radiation biomarker; Hair root cells; DNA damage; Comet assay
• ISSN: 1383-5718; 0027-5107; 1879-3592
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2013.06.011

The purpose of the present research is to examine whether human hair root cells can be used for dose assessment after in vitro exposure to ionizing radiation. Hair root samples plucked from random head regions were collected from 5 healthy human subjects. Some of these hair samples were used as control and some were irradiated with 0.5–5Gy of gamma ray using a Cs-137 gamma irradiator at a dose rate of 0.14Gy/s. DNA damage (single-strand breaks) was determined in hair root cells of these samples using the comet assay technique. The comet assay parameters, tail length (TL) and tail moment (TM), showed a significant increase (p<.05) in single-strand DNA breaks in hair roots cells of the exposed samples compared to control. A linear dose–effect relationship was observed when tail moment or tail length was plotted against the log of the radiation dose. This research suggests a possible use of human hair root cell DNA damage as a biomarker especially for low dose radiation.