Evaluating Human Cell Survival and DNA Damage After Exposure to Various Amounts of Chlorine Dioxide and Exploring Its Use as a Potential Cancer Chemotherapy Agent

Authors

Niuska Mariana Alvarez Fuenmayor, University of New Haven

Faculty Mentor

Ali Senejani

Department

Biology and Environmental Sciences

Files

Description

Chlorine Dioxide (ClO₂) is a synthetic, green-yellowish gas with a chlorine-like, irritating odor that is used for the treatment of drinking water and food preservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of the chlorine dioxide in mammalian cells and to determine what dose of ClO₂ is tolerable by normal cells and cells with aberrant DNA repair genes. Human and mouse embryonic cells were treated with various ClO₂ dilutions ranging from 2.5 mM to 25 mM. The cell viability and metabolic activity was determined via MTT, a colorimetric assay. Human HEK293 cells exposed to 5mM of chlorine dioxide exhibit rapid cell death. Results from the alkaline comet assay indicate cells treated with a 50 mM ClO₂ carry high levels of DNA breaks. Furthermore, mouse embryonic fibroblast cells lacking a key DNA repair gene, DNA polymerase beta, show an increased level of sensitivity to ClO₂ indicating its use as a potential chemotherapy approach for cancer cells harboring defective DNA repair genes.

Publication Date

2016

Publisher

University of New Haven

City

West Haven

Keywords

cancer, chemotherapy, Chlorine Dioxide, HEK293, MEF, comet assays, DNA polymerase beta

Subject: LCSH

Cancer, Chemotherapy, Chlorine dioxide

Subject: MeSH

Neoplasms/drug therapy, HEK293 Cells

Disciplines

Biology | Neoplasms

Comments

A special note of gratitude to the SURF support team at the University of New Haven, particularly Mrs. Carol Withers. I also want to thank Dr. Ali Senejani for helping me design the whole model for this research and guiding me with useful strategies. I find myself absolutely grateful for all his time, patience and 100% availability. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge graduate students Beatrice Doubert, Joseph Magrino and George Tsai, who helped me unconditionally with my many inquiries during the research.

Repository Citation

Alvarez Fuenmayor, Niuska Mariana, "Evaluating Human Cell Survival and DNA Damage After Exposure to Various Amounts of Chlorine Dioxide and Exploring Its Use as a Potential Cancer Chemotherapy Agent" (2016). SURF - Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Projects. 1.
https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/surf/1