Abstract
Isolated human peripheral lymphocytes were treated in vitro with styrene-7, 8-oxide (SO) and the kinetics of the repair of induced DNA damage was assessed by comet assay during further incubation of lymphocytes. Using a modified assay we measured simultaneously the number of single strand breaks in DNA (SSBs) and the sites sensitive to endonuclease III (endo III) that most probably represent abasic sites in DNA molecules. SO induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner and both SSBs and endo III sites were removed from the DNA by a repair process with a half time about 2-4 hours. The damage was repaired completely within 12 hours after the treatment.
Highlights
Styrene, an extensively used industrial chemical, is classified by IACR (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as a possible human carcinogen
We examined which of these parameters is the most suitable one for describing DNA damage
This means that the degree of linear dependence of TD on concentration is higher than the degree of linear dependence of both tail length (TL) and (TM) on concentration
Summary
An extensively used industrial chemical, is classified by IACR (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as a possible human carcinogen (group 2B). It is a colourless gas with a typical biting smell. Humans are exposed to styrene from industrial and exhaust emissions, from cigarette smoke or building materials. Small quantities of styrene may evolve from polystyrene packing. Styrene is absorbed through skin, mucous membranes and airways. It induces SSBs in vivo [6]. It is transformed by cytochrom P450 in the organism [1]
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