• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2009

Two ciliate species of Blepharisma were collected from the riverine wetland and mountain peak soil in Korea, Blepharisma undulans Stein, 1867 and B. steini Kahl, 1932, which are reported for the first time from Korea. The description was based on the observations of live and protargol impregnation specimens. Diagnostics of these species (Blepharisma undulans vs. B. steini) are as follows. Body length/width ratio in vivo about 6/1 vs. 2/1, shaped in spindle vs. pyriform to ellipsoid and colored in pinkish vs. reddish. Macronuclei 2 vs. 1, with 4-9 vs. 4-7 spherical micronuclei. Adoral zone of membranelles extends from anterior end to 1/3 vs. 1/2-2/3 of body length, with 47-56 vs. 33-45 adoral membranelles. The numbers of somatic kineties are 22-27 vs. 18-22.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.165.1-165.1
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• 2000

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.120.1-120.1
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• 2003

The mutagenic potential of Gryllus bimaculatus was evaluated using the short-term genotoxicity tests including Ames, chromosome aberration and micronuclei tests. In salmonella typhimurium assay, G. bimaculatus did not show any mutagenic response in the absence or presence of S9 mix with TA98, TAl00, TA1535, and TA1537. In chromosome aberration test, G. bimaculatus did not show any significant effect on Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells compared with control. (omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.525-533
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• 1998

Purpose: Radiation adaptive response in human peripheral lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells was investigated using both metaphase analysis and micronucleus assay. We assessed the correlation between both tests. Materials and Methods: Two groups of the human peripheral lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells were exposed to low dose (conditioning dose, 0,18 Gy) or high dose (challenging dose, 2 Gy) ${\gamma}$-rays. The other 4 groups were exposed to low dose followed by high dose after several time intervals (4, 7, 12, and 24 hours, respectively). The frequencies of chromosomal aberrations in metaphase analysis and micronuclei in micronucleus assay were counted. Results: Chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei of preexposed group were lower than those of the group only exposed to high dose radiation. Maximal reduction in frequencies of chromosomal aberrations were observed in the group to which challenging dose was given at 7 hour after a conditioning dose (p<0.001). Metaphase analysis and micronucleus assay revealed very good correlation in both human lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells (r=0.98, p<0.001 ; r=0.99, p=0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Radiation adaptive response could be induced by low dose irradiation in both human lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells. There was a significant correlation between metaphase analysis and micronucleus assay.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.161-166
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• 2008

In order to determine the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on the frequency of micronuclei (MN), aneuploidy and chromosomal rearrangement induced by bleomycin (BLM) in human fibroblast cells, a 60 Hz ELF-EMF of 0.8 mT field strength was applied either alone or with ELM throughout the culture period and a micronucleus-centromere assay was performed. Our results indicate that the frequencies of MN, aneuploidy and chromosomal rearrangement induced by ELM increased in a dose-dependent manner. The exposure of cells to 0.8 mT ELF-EMF followed by ELM exposure for 3 hours led to significant increases in the frequencies of MN and aneuploidy compared to BLM treatment for 3 hours alone (p<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between field exposed and sham exposed control cells. The obtained results suggest that low density ELF-EMF could act as an enhancer of the initiation process of BLM rather than as an initiator of mutagenic effects in human fibroblast.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2004

In the present study, the protective effects of Artemisia capillaris (AC) on the DNA damage induced by $^{60}$ Co ${\gamma}$-rays were evaluated using alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, comet assay) in the mouse peripheral lymphocytes and micronuclei (MN) formation test in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We also investigated the effect of AC on 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation in the mouse liver and thymus exposed to ${\gamma}$-ray, The tail moment and the frequency of MN, which were markers of DNA damage in the SCGE and MN formation test, were decreased in the groups treated with AC extract before exposure to 200 cGy of ${\gamma}$-ray. We also observed its activities, lowering 8-OHdG level, an index of oxidative DNA damage, in the groups treated with AC extract before whole body ${\gamma}$-irradiation (800 cGy). It is plausible that scavenging of free radicals by AC may have played an important role in providing the protection against the radiation-induced damage to the DNA. These results indicated that AC protects the DNA damage induced by ${\gamma}$-rays and might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic product.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1773-1777
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• 2016

Diagnostic and therapeutic radiation fields are planned so as to reduce side-effects while maximising the dose to site but effects on healthy tissues are inevitable. Radiation causes strand breaks in DNA of exposed cells which can lead to chromosomal aberrations and cause malfunction and cell death. Several researchers have highlighted the damaging effects of high dose radiation but still there is a lacuna in identifying damage due to low dose radiation used for diagnostic purposes. Blood is an easy resource to study genotoxicity and to estimate the effects of radiation. The micronucleus assay and chromosomal aberration can indicate genetic damage and our present aim was to establish these with lymphocytes in an in vitro model to predict the immediate effects low dose radiation. Blood was collected from healthy individuals and divided into 6 groups with increasing radiation dose i.e., 0Gy, 0.10Gy, 0.25Gy, 0.50Gy, 1Gy and 2Gy. The samples were irradiated in duplicates using a LINAC in the radiation oncology department. Standard protocols were applied for chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assays. Metaphases were stained in Giemsa and 200 were scored per sample for the detection of dicentric or acentric forms. For micronuclei detection, 200 metaphases. Giemsa stained binucleate cells per sample were analysed for any abnormality. The micronuclei (MN) frequency was increased in cells exposed to the entire range of doses (0.1-2Gy) delivered. Controls showed minimal MN formation ($2.0%{\pm}0.05$) with triple MN ($5.6%{\pm}2.0$) frequency at the lowest dose. MN formation increased exponentially with the radiation dose thereafter with a maximum at 2Gy. Significantly elevated numbers of dicentric chromosomes were also observed, even at doses of 0.1-0.5Gy, compared to controls, and acentric chromosomes were apparent at 2Gy. In conclusion we can state that lymphocytes can be effectively used to study direct effect of low dose radiation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4409-4419
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• 2015

The Bhopal gas tragedy involving methyl isocyanate (MIC) is one of the most horrific industrial accidents in recent decades. We investigated the genotoxic effects of MIC in long-term survivors and their offspring born after the 1984 occurrence. There are a few cytogenetic reports showing genetic damage in the MIC-exposed survivors, but there is no information about the associated cancer risk. The same is true about offspring. For the first time, we here assessed the micronucleus (MN) frequency using cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay to predict cancer risk in the MIC-affected population of Bhopal. A total of 92 healthy volunteers (46 MIC-affected and 46 controls) from Bhopal and various regions of India were studied taking gender and age into consideration. Binucleated lymphocytes with micronuclei (BNMN), total number of micronuclei in lymphocytes (MNL), and nuclear division index (NDI) frequencies and their relationship to age, gender and several lifestyle variabilities (smoking, alcohol consumption and tobacco-chewing) were investigated. Our observations showed relatively higher BNMN and MNL (P<0.05) in the MIC-affected than in the controls. Exposed females (EF) exhibited significantly higher BNMN and MNL (P<0.01) than their unexposed counterparts. Similarly, female offspring of the exposed (FOE) also suffered higher BNMN and MNL (P<0.05) than in controls. A significant reduction in NDI (P<0.05) was found only in EF. The affected group of non-smokers and non-alcoholics featured a higher frequency of BNMN and MNL than the control group of non-smokers and non-alcoholics (P<0.01). Similarly, the affected group of tobacco chewers showed significantly higher BNMN and MNL (P<0.001) than the non-chewers. Amongst the affected, smoking and alcohol consumption were not associated with statistically significant differences in BNMN, MNL and NDI. Nevertheless, tobacco-chewing had a preponderant effect with respect to MNL. A reasonable correlation between MNL and lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol consumption and tobacco-chewing) was observed only in the controls. Our results suggest that EF and FOE are more susceptible to cancer development, as compared to EM and MOE. The genotoxic outcome detected in FOE reflects their parental exposure to MIC. Briefly, the observed cytogenetic damage to the MIC-affected could contribute to cancer risk, especially in the EF and FOE.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2001

To determine if micronucleus (MN) assay could be used to predict the absorbed dose of victims after accidental radiation exposure, we carried out to assess the absorbed dose depending on the numerical changes of MN in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after $^{60}Co\;{\gamma}-rays$ exposure in the range of 0.25 to 1 Gy, respectively. The MNs were observed at very low doses, and the numerical changes according to doses. Satisfactory dose-effect calibration curve is observed after low dose irradiation of human lymphocytes in vitro. When plotting on a linear scale against radiation dose, the line of best fit was $Y=(0.02{\pm}0.0009)+(0.033{\pm}0.010)D+(0.012{\pm}0.012)D^2$. The dose-response curve for MN induction immediately after irradiation was linear-quadratic and has a significant relationship between the frequencies of MN and dose. These data show a trend towards increase of the numbers of MN with increasing dose. The number of MN in lymphocytes that were observed in the control group is $0.1610{\pm}0.0093/cell$. Accordingly, MN assay in human peripheral lymphocytes could be a useful in viva model for studying radio-protective drug sensitivity or screening test, microdosimertic indicator and radiation-induced target organ injury. Since MN assay is simple, rapid and reproducible, it will also be a biodosimetric indicator for individual dose assessment after accidental exposure.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

o-Nitrotoluene is used to synthesize artificial dyes and raw materials of urethane resin. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity tests and microarray analysis to understand the underlying mechanisms and the mode of action of toxicity of onitrotoluene. TA1535 and TA98 cells were treated with o-nitrotoluene to test its toxicity by basic genetic toxicity test. Ames and two new in vitro micronucleus and COMET assays were applied using CHO cells and L5178Y cells, respectively. In addition, microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in L5178Y cells in response to o-nitrotoluene was analyzed using Affymatrix genechip. The result of Ames test was that o-nitrotoluene treatment did not increase the mutations both in base substitution strain TA1535 and in frame shift TA98. o-Nitrotoluene has not increased micronuclei in CHO cells. But onitrotoluene increased DNA damage in L5178Y cell. Two-hundred two genes were initially selected as differentially expressed genes in response to o-nitrotoluene by microarray analysis and forty four genes among them were over 2 times of log fold changed. These forty four genes could be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of o-nitrotoluene related to induction of mutation and/or induction of micronuclei and DNA damage. Further confirmation of these candidate markers related to the DNA damage will be useful to understand the detailed mechanism of action of o-nitrotoluene.