This study aimed to evaluate the antidotal potency of tenocyclidine (TCP) that probably might pro... more This study aimed to evaluate the antidotal potency of tenocyclidine (TCP) that probably might protect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the case of organophosphate poisoning. TCP was tested alone as a pretreatment or in combination with atropine as a therapy in rats poi- soned with ¼ and ½ of LD50 of soman. Possible genotoxic effects of TCP in white blood cells and
DESCRIPTION Oral presentation abstract presented on the 27th International Applied Geochemistry S... more DESCRIPTION Oral presentation abstract presented on the 27th International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (The Association of Applied Geochemists) held in April 2015 · TUCSON, ARIZONA USA
The results of preliminary karyological investigations of two geographically distant and morpholo... more The results of preliminary karyological investigations of two geographically distant and morphologically slightly different Polycelis felina (Daly.) populations from central Croatia are reported. The results have shown that individuals of both populations are diploids, with the same chromosome number in their neoblasts (2n=18). Their karyotypes were composed of nine chromosome pairs, three of them are metacentric and the other six are submetacentric. Statistical evaluation of data indicated that both populations of Polycelis felina (Daly.), despite minor differences observed between them, belong to the same karyological biotype.
To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method... more To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method to estimate of health risk, we monitored 9 male subjects occupationally exposed to low doses of both ionizing radiation and ultrasound during a period of over 3 years. Sampling was performed at 6-month intervals during a three-year period. First we used conventional chromosomal aberrations analysis. When the aberration frequency for a particular subject reached the background, we measured translocations in the final sample, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Chromosome painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 were used simultaneously. Dicentric and ring chromosomes were eliminated within a year. Translocations persisted and deviated from control values in all examinees. Translocations were detected long after unstable aberrations decreased to the background level. Fluorescence in situ hybridization-based translocation detection was a reliable method for monitoring chronic occu...
Aim To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a me... more Aim To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method to estimate of health risk, we monitored 9 male subjects occupationally exposed to low doses of both ionizing radiation and ultrasound during a period of over 3 years. Methods Sampling was performed at 6-month intervals during a three-year period. First we used conventional chromosomal aberrations analysis. When the aberration frequency for a particular subject reached the background, we measured translocations in the final sample, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Chromosome painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 were used simultaneously. Results Dicentric and ring chromosomes were eliminated within a year. Translocations persisted and deviated from control values in all examinees. Translocations were detected long after unstable aberrations decreased to the background level. Conclusion Fluorescence in situ hybridization-based translocation detection was a reliable met...
ABSTRACT Exposure of cells to UV radiation results in DNA damage by direct excitation of DNA or i... more ABSTRACT Exposure of cells to UV radiation results in DNA damage by direct excitation of DNA or involves excitation of cellular chromophores 1. The most common direct excitation of DNA generates cyclobutane pyrimidin dimer (CPD) and 6-4 pyrimidin-pyrimidon photoproducts which are responsible for cytotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic activity of short-wave UVC and UVB radiation 1. Both UVC and UVB are primarily absorbed by epidermal layer causing sunburn and basal cell carcinoma 2. Studies showed that Echinacea purpurea extracts exert anti-genotoxic, anti-oxidative, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects which could be attributed to phenolic acids, alkylamides and acetylamides 3-6. Our previous study showed that Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EH) extract, rich in phenolic acids, has protective effect on human blood lymphocytes exposed to UVC radiation 7. In this study we checked whether the pre-treatment of human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with lyophilisate of EH could reduce or prevent primary DNA damage induced by UVC radiation (253.7 nm) in laboratory conditions.
Accumulation of DNA damage may play a significant role in the aetiology of the ageing process. Al... more Accumulation of DNA damage may play a significant role in the aetiology of the ageing process. Although genomic lesions increase the risk of cancer, many elderly individuals do not suffer from neoplasia in spite of their late age. We aimed to evaluate the rate of genome integrity impairment among elderly subjects without recorded chronic or inflammatory diseases and malignancies. Thirty-one generally healthy elderly subjects (age 69.3 +/- 3.7 years) were studied. Subjects matched control subjects by gender and lifestyle factors. Frequencies of structural chromosome aberrations and translocations applying fluorescence in situ hybridization chromosome painting probes, levels of primary DNA damage and oxidative lesions cleaved by hOGG1 enzyme using alkaline and hOGG1-modified comet assay were recorded in peripheral blood leukocytes. Also, susceptibility of the genome to H(2)O(2)-induced damage as a marker of antioxidative status was evaluated. Translocation yields and rates of chromatid breaks and acentric fragments were significantly higher among elderly subjects. Furthermore, a significant increase in the level of primary genome lesions and hOGG1-sensitive sites in DNA was detected, while the results of the comet assay following H(2)O(2) pre-treatment suggested decreased levels of antioxidant protection in leukocytes. The results obtained may indicate that accumulation of genome damage observed in leukocytes of elderly subjects as surrogate cells is intertwined with the ageing process. Taking this into consideration with the medical records of the study subjects, the results support other authors' findings that the accumulation of basal genome damage might not inevitably trigger the mechanism that enforces induced development of neoplasia.
Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2009
Present study aimed at an integral assessment of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in t... more Present study aimed at an integral assessment of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in the health care workers occupationally exposed to cytostatics. The results of 500 individual analyses were evaluated. Drug handling practice was investigated in parallel and the results showed that cytostatics are mostly prepared outside hospital pharmacy (98%) and mainly handled by nurses (96%). Mean frequency of SCE was 5.63 +/- 2.28, while HFC represented 9.65% of the cells analysed. Both values were higher compared to previously established control values for Croatian population. The duration of exposure, profession, age, gender, smoking habit, medical exposures, and simultaneous exposure to other occupational mutagens significantly contributed to SCE and HFC values. The usefulness both biomarkers in the assessment of cytogenetic damage is confirmed. Since current practice in Croatian hospitals does not include regular monitoring of workplaces, to ensure maximal occupational safety, a surveillance on exposed health care workers, including periodic biomonitoring, is recommended.
Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2010
The primary and residual genome damage and its elimination rate were evaluated in peripheral bloo... more The primary and residual genome damage and its elimination rate were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes of breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical removal of the tumor by mastectomy or quadrantectomy. The levels of DNA/chromosome damage were estimated before, throughout, as well as after six months, respectively one year after the radiotherapy, using the alkaline comet assay, the chromosome aberration analysis and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. The marked individual differences in the baseline genome damage were observed in patients, which additionally increased until the end of the radiotherapy cycle. The levels of DNA/cytogenetic damage slowly declined during post-irradiation period; although in the majority of subjects they did not return to pre-therapy levels. In addition to the well-established comet parameters, the long-tailed nuclei were also proved as a useful indicator of individual DNA damage and response to radiation. One of the most important observation was that older breast cancer patients, irradiated after mastectomy, had higher values of almost all parameters evaluated. We found positive correlations between the comet assay parameters and the cytogenetic biomarkers that confirmed their complementary value in the assessment of the radiation sensitivity/susceptibility in elderly breast cancer patients. The specific patterns of DNA damage observed in the majority of subjects after a prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation indicate the possibility of adaptive response. Such results may also be linked to the hormesis theory and support previous observations, but the underlying mechanisms should be further investigated on a much larger population.
This study aimed to evaluate the antidotal potency of tenocyclidine (TCP) that probably might pro... more This study aimed to evaluate the antidotal potency of tenocyclidine (TCP) that probably might protect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the case of organophosphate poisoning. TCP was tested alone as a pretreatment or in combination with atropine as a therapy in rats poi- soned with ¼ and ½ of LD50 of soman. Possible genotoxic effects of TCP in white blood cells and
DESCRIPTION Oral presentation abstract presented on the 27th International Applied Geochemistry S... more DESCRIPTION Oral presentation abstract presented on the 27th International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (The Association of Applied Geochemists) held in April 2015 · TUCSON, ARIZONA USA
The results of preliminary karyological investigations of two geographically distant and morpholo... more The results of preliminary karyological investigations of two geographically distant and morphologically slightly different Polycelis felina (Daly.) populations from central Croatia are reported. The results have shown that individuals of both populations are diploids, with the same chromosome number in their neoblasts (2n=18). Their karyotypes were composed of nine chromosome pairs, three of them are metacentric and the other six are submetacentric. Statistical evaluation of data indicated that both populations of Polycelis felina (Daly.), despite minor differences observed between them, belong to the same karyological biotype.
To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method... more To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method to estimate of health risk, we monitored 9 male subjects occupationally exposed to low doses of both ionizing radiation and ultrasound during a period of over 3 years. Sampling was performed at 6-month intervals during a three-year period. First we used conventional chromosomal aberrations analysis. When the aberration frequency for a particular subject reached the background, we measured translocations in the final sample, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Chromosome painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 were used simultaneously. Dicentric and ring chromosomes were eliminated within a year. Translocations persisted and deviated from control values in all examinees. Translocations were detected long after unstable aberrations decreased to the background level. Fluorescence in situ hybridization-based translocation detection was a reliable method for monitoring chronic occu...
Aim To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a me... more Aim To evaluate chromosome aberration and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays as a method to estimate of health risk, we monitored 9 male subjects occupationally exposed to low doses of both ionizing radiation and ultrasound during a period of over 3 years. Methods Sampling was performed at 6-month intervals during a three-year period. First we used conventional chromosomal aberrations analysis. When the aberration frequency for a particular subject reached the background, we measured translocations in the final sample, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Chromosome painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 were used simultaneously. Results Dicentric and ring chromosomes were eliminated within a year. Translocations persisted and deviated from control values in all examinees. Translocations were detected long after unstable aberrations decreased to the background level. Conclusion Fluorescence in situ hybridization-based translocation detection was a reliable met...
ABSTRACT Exposure of cells to UV radiation results in DNA damage by direct excitation of DNA or i... more ABSTRACT Exposure of cells to UV radiation results in DNA damage by direct excitation of DNA or involves excitation of cellular chromophores 1. The most common direct excitation of DNA generates cyclobutane pyrimidin dimer (CPD) and 6-4 pyrimidin-pyrimidon photoproducts which are responsible for cytotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic activity of short-wave UVC and UVB radiation 1. Both UVC and UVB are primarily absorbed by epidermal layer causing sunburn and basal cell carcinoma 2. Studies showed that Echinacea purpurea extracts exert anti-genotoxic, anti-oxidative, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects which could be attributed to phenolic acids, alkylamides and acetylamides 3-6. Our previous study showed that Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EH) extract, rich in phenolic acids, has protective effect on human blood lymphocytes exposed to UVC radiation 7. In this study we checked whether the pre-treatment of human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with lyophilisate of EH could reduce or prevent primary DNA damage induced by UVC radiation (253.7 nm) in laboratory conditions.
Accumulation of DNA damage may play a significant role in the aetiology of the ageing process. Al... more Accumulation of DNA damage may play a significant role in the aetiology of the ageing process. Although genomic lesions increase the risk of cancer, many elderly individuals do not suffer from neoplasia in spite of their late age. We aimed to evaluate the rate of genome integrity impairment among elderly subjects without recorded chronic or inflammatory diseases and malignancies. Thirty-one generally healthy elderly subjects (age 69.3 +/- 3.7 years) were studied. Subjects matched control subjects by gender and lifestyle factors. Frequencies of structural chromosome aberrations and translocations applying fluorescence in situ hybridization chromosome painting probes, levels of primary DNA damage and oxidative lesions cleaved by hOGG1 enzyme using alkaline and hOGG1-modified comet assay were recorded in peripheral blood leukocytes. Also, susceptibility of the genome to H(2)O(2)-induced damage as a marker of antioxidative status was evaluated. Translocation yields and rates of chromatid breaks and acentric fragments were significantly higher among elderly subjects. Furthermore, a significant increase in the level of primary genome lesions and hOGG1-sensitive sites in DNA was detected, while the results of the comet assay following H(2)O(2) pre-treatment suggested decreased levels of antioxidant protection in leukocytes. The results obtained may indicate that accumulation of genome damage observed in leukocytes of elderly subjects as surrogate cells is intertwined with the ageing process. Taking this into consideration with the medical records of the study subjects, the results support other authors' findings that the accumulation of basal genome damage might not inevitably trigger the mechanism that enforces induced development of neoplasia.
Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2009
Present study aimed at an integral assessment of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in t... more Present study aimed at an integral assessment of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies in the health care workers occupationally exposed to cytostatics. The results of 500 individual analyses were evaluated. Drug handling practice was investigated in parallel and the results showed that cytostatics are mostly prepared outside hospital pharmacy (98%) and mainly handled by nurses (96%). Mean frequency of SCE was 5.63 +/- 2.28, while HFC represented 9.65% of the cells analysed. Both values were higher compared to previously established control values for Croatian population. The duration of exposure, profession, age, gender, smoking habit, medical exposures, and simultaneous exposure to other occupational mutagens significantly contributed to SCE and HFC values. The usefulness both biomarkers in the assessment of cytogenetic damage is confirmed. Since current practice in Croatian hospitals does not include regular monitoring of workplaces, to ensure maximal occupational safety, a surveillance on exposed health care workers, including periodic biomonitoring, is recommended.
Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2010
The primary and residual genome damage and its elimination rate were evaluated in peripheral bloo... more The primary and residual genome damage and its elimination rate were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes of breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical removal of the tumor by mastectomy or quadrantectomy. The levels of DNA/chromosome damage were estimated before, throughout, as well as after six months, respectively one year after the radiotherapy, using the alkaline comet assay, the chromosome aberration analysis and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. The marked individual differences in the baseline genome damage were observed in patients, which additionally increased until the end of the radiotherapy cycle. The levels of DNA/cytogenetic damage slowly declined during post-irradiation period; although in the majority of subjects they did not return to pre-therapy levels. In addition to the well-established comet parameters, the long-tailed nuclei were also proved as a useful indicator of individual DNA damage and response to radiation. One of the most important observation was that older breast cancer patients, irradiated after mastectomy, had higher values of almost all parameters evaluated. We found positive correlations between the comet assay parameters and the cytogenetic biomarkers that confirmed their complementary value in the assessment of the radiation sensitivity/susceptibility in elderly breast cancer patients. The specific patterns of DNA damage observed in the majority of subjects after a prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation indicate the possibility of adaptive response. Such results may also be linked to the hormesis theory and support previous observations, but the underlying mechanisms should be further investigated on a much larger population.
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