Perceptive Instruments has published a new case study on the use of Comet Assay IV, contributed by Cornwall Dermatology Research
Cornwall Dermatology Research is part of the newly formed Peninsula Medical School located in Truro in the south west of England, a region which exhibits one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the UK.
The comet assay has been used at Cornwall Dermatology Research for almost ten years and has contributed significantly to three major fields of research: investigation into environmental causes of DNA damage that may lead to skin cancer including UVA and UVB radiation, mercury and arsenic; prevention of DNA damage that may lead to skin cancer by various antioxidant compounds including those found in green tea; and investigation of novel modifications to dermatological photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat skin cancer.
The alkaline version of the comet assay is used which allows for the detection of double strand breaks, single strand breaks, alkali labile sites, and transient repair sites.
The particular protocol is based on that reported by Singh and co-workers (1988) which was further optimised in the CDR laboratory.
Comet slides are stained using ethidium bromide and examined under excitation with a fluorescence microscope.
Comet Assay IV is used to quantify the extent of DNA damage.
