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The ?H2AX DNA damage assay from a drop of blood.

ABSTRACT: DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and blocked replication forks activate the DNA damage response (DDR), a signaling pathway marked by phosphorylation of histone 2AX (H2AX). The phosphorylated form, ?H2AX, accumulates at the site of damage and can be detected as foci by immunocytochemistry. Therefore, ?H2AX is a sensitive and robust biomarker of DNA damage, notably DSB. Cells from peripheral blood are often used for studies on genotoxic exposure of humans. They are limited, however, by the amount of blood required and the costly blood purification method. Here, we present a method that enables the detection of DNA damage by the analysis of ?H2AX foci in a drop of blood. The blood drop method (BDM) is simple, fast, inexpensive and allows large series of blood sampling and storage over time. It can be combined with genotoxic treatment of cells in the collected blood sample for experimental purposes on DNA damage induction and repair. The BDM is suitable for rapid and large-scale screenings of genetic damage in human and animal populations.

SUBMITTER: Heylmann D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4778029 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The γH2AX DNA damage assay from a drop of blood.

Heylmann Daniel D Kaina Bernd B

Scientific reports 20160304

DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and blocked replication forks activate the DNA damage response (DDR), a signaling pathway marked by phosphorylation of histone 2AX (H2AX). The phosphorylated form, γH2AX, accumulates at the site of damage and can be detected as foci by immunocytochemistry. Therefore, γH2AX is a sensitive and robust biomarker of DNA damage, notably DSB. Cells from peripheral blood are often used for studies on genotoxic exposure of humans. They are limited, however, by the amount of ...[more]

PMID: 26940638

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Project description:DNA damage occurs constantly in every cell triggered by endogenous processes of replication and metabolism, and external influences such as ionizing radiation and intercalating chemicals. Large sets of proteins are involved in sensing, stabilizing and repairing this damage including control of cell cycle and proliferation. Some of these factors are phosphorylated upon activation and can be used as biomarkers of DNA damage response (DDR) by flow and mass cytometry. Differential survival rates of lymphocyte subsets in response to DNA damage are well established, characterizing NK cells as most resistant and B cells as most sensitive to DNA damage. We investigated DDR to low dose gamma radiation (2Gy) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of 26 healthy donors and 3 patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) using mass cytometry. γH2AX, p-CHK2, p-ATM and p53 were analyzed as specific DDR biomarkers for functional readouts of DNA repair efficiency in combination with cell cycle and T, B and NK cell populations characterized by 20 surface markers. We identified significant differences in DDR among lymphocyte populations in healthy individuals. Whereas CD56+CD16+ NK cells showed a strong γH2AX response to low dose ionizing radiation, a reduced response rate could be observed in CD19+CD20+ B cells that was associated with reduced survival. Interestingly, γH2AX induction level correlated inversely with ATM-dependent p-CHK2 and p53 responses. Differential DDR could be further noticed in naïve compared to memory T and B cell subsets, characterized by reduced γH2AX, but increased p53 induction in naïve T cells. In contrast, DDR was abrogated in all lymphocyte populations of AT patients. Our results demonstrate differential DDR capacities in lymphocyte subsets that depend on maturation and correlate inversely with DNA damage-related survival. Importantly, DDR analysis of peripheral blood cells for diagnostic purposes should be stratified to lymphocyte subsets.

Dataset Information

The ?H2AX DNA damage assay from a drop of blood.

Publications

The γH2AX DNA damage assay from a drop of blood.

Similar Datasets

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