Clinical Sample Collection

The assessment is based on toxicity investigation of electrophiles (organochlorines, compounds with an activated double bond and epoxides) on the biological nucleophiles – DNA and GSH (Glutathione).
Genetically modified Escherichia coli strains provide nucleophiles on which varied bioanalytical assays are run and properties of specific reactivity and cytotoxicity in each case are recorded.
Cellular GSH depletion and growth inhibition of a GSH-deficient strain are performed to investigate importance of GSH for detoxification. Induction of DNA repair systems, DNA fragmentation and growth inhibition of strain deficient in major DNA repair mechanisms are measured to test for DNA damage.
The sets of strains that lack either GSH or DNA repair along with their respective parent strains are the most suitable bioanalytical assays for detection of mechanisms causing the evident cytotoxicity of the screened electrophiles. When compared for toxicity, they indicate three distinct ways of toxicity on electrophiles – DNA damage, GSH depletion-related toxicity and Unspecific reactivity.
While epoxides 1,2-epoxybutane, (2,3-epoxypropyl)benzene and styrene oxide are the chemical group with DNA damage-related toxicity, those with toxicity resulting in GSH depletion include compounds with an activated double bond such as acrylates and acrolein. These two classes are linked with respective toxicities, whereas all reactive organochlorines and certain epoxides are classified as unspecifically reactive, owing to their toxicity being initiated by reactions with both the bio-nucleophiles.