Environmental exposures have long been known to impact public health and safety. For example, exposures to airborne particulates, heavy metals in water, or certain industrial chemicals can contribute to aging and to risk of developing cancer and other diseases. Environmental factors can impact health in a variety of ways, but a key concern is DNA damage, which can lead to mutations that cause cancer. Cancer can take years to develop following chemical exposure; however, one way to predict carcinogenicity in a more practical time frame is by studying the chemical’s ability to induce DNA damage. The comet assay (or single-cell gel electrophoresis assay) has been used successfully for genotoxicity testing. The comet assay allows for the detection of DNA strand breaks via analysis of DNA migration during electrophoresis. Previously, the Engelward laboratory, in collaboration with the Bhatia laboratory, developed the CometChip for measurements of DNA damage and repair. The CometChip is a high-throughput comet assay that improves user reproducibility and significantly shortens total assay time. Here, we describe how the high-throughput CometChip platform can be used to measure DNA damage in established cell lines, animal models, and human samples. We also discuss technical challenges associated with these studies and provide recommendations on how to achieve optimal results for researchers interested in adopting this assay.

中文翻译：

---

CometChip在环境健康研究中的应用。

众所周知，环境暴露会影响公共健康和安全。例如，暴露于空气中的颗粒物，水中的重金属或某些工业化学品中，可能会导致衰老并增加罹患癌症和其他疾病的风险。环境因素可以多种方式影响健康，但关键问题是DNA损伤，DNA损伤可能导致导致癌症的突变。化学暴露后，癌症可能需要数年的时间发展；但是，在更实际的时间范围内预测致癌性的一种方法是研究该化学物质诱导DNA损伤的能力。彗星测定法（或单细胞凝胶电泳测定法）已成功用于遗传毒性测试。彗星分析允许通过分析电泳过程中的DNA迁移来检测DNA链断裂。先前，Engelward实验室与Bhatia实验室合作开发了CometChip，用于测量DNA损伤和修复。CometChip是一种高通量的彗星检测，可提高用户的可重复性并显着缩短总检测时间。在这里，我们描述高通量CometChip平台如何用于测量已建立的细胞系，动物模型和人类样品中的DNA损伤。我们还将讨论与这些研究相关的技术挑战，并为有兴趣采用此测定法的研究人员提供有关如何获得最佳结果的建议。我们将描述高通量CometChip平台如何用于测量已建立的细胞系，动物模型和人类样品中的DNA损伤。我们还将讨论与这些研究相关的技术挑战，并为有兴趣采用此测定法的研究人员提供有关如何获得最佳结果的建议。我们将描述高通量CometChip平台如何用于测量已建立的细胞系，动物模型和人类样品中的DNA损伤。我们还将讨论与这些研究相关的技术挑战，并为有兴趣采用此测定法的研究人员提供有关如何获得最佳结果的建议。