Our objective is to develop a method for monitoring DNA damage. Damage to DNA in the form of double and single strand breaks will be assessed by fluorescent, in situ nick translation, employing suspensions of Iymphoid cells and a DNA synthesizing system containing E. coli DNA polymerase I. Ionizing radiation will be employed to verify the efficacy of the methodology. We will also determine the feasibility of this technology to i) study DNA repair, and ii) monitor the radioprotective effects of low, inducing doses of ionizing radiation. Human cell lines with various genotypic configurations of the p53 gene will be employed to study the effect of radiation on DNA damage and repair using the nick translation technique.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:The methods could be applied to the assessment of radioprotectants, radiation resistance/sensitivity assessment (see Girinsky et al, 1993), assays of genes involved in DNA repair, "checkpoints", and cancer susceptibility.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
