DNA Damage as a Biological Marker in Aquatic Organisms Exposed to Benzo(A)Pyrene

摘要

The authors show that minute quantities of BaPDE-DNA adducts in the liver of bluegill sunfish can be detected and quantitated using a simple analytical technique whose sensitivity depends upon the intrinsic fluorescence of the specific adduct being analyzed. These adducts represent damage to DNA of the organism, which, if left uncorrected, could trigger a sequence of events that culminate in the appearance of an overt malignancy. The authors believe that the data reported here demonstrate that the covalent interaction of genotoxic chemicals with cellular macromolecules such as DNA is, potentially, a sensitive biological marker which could be of early predictive value in assessing exposure and its significance. 13 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab. (ERA citation 13:019637)