Exploring the potential interference of estuarine sediment contaminants with the DNA repair capacity of human hepatoma cells

摘要: Estuaries may be reservoirs of a wide variety pollutants, including mutagenic and carcinogenic substances that impact on the ecosystem human health. A previous study showed exposure hepatoma (HepG2) cells to extracts from sediment samples collected in two areas (urban/industrial riverine/agricultural) an impacted estuary (Sado, Portugal), produced differential cytotoxic genotoxic effects. Those effects were found consistent with levels nature contamination. The present aimed at evaluating whether mixtures contaminants contained those able modulate DNA repair capacity HepG2 cells. residual level damage was measured by comet assay exposed for 24 or 48 h different extracts, after short preexposure challenging concentration range ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), as model alkylating agent. results suggested mixture tested samples, besides potential direct effect molecule, also interfere mechanisms cells, thus impairing their ability deal stress and, possibly, facilitating accumulation mutations. Humans are environmentally/occupationally rather than single chemicals. Thus, observation estuarine induce indirect strand breakage latter through impairment repair, raises additional concerns regarding hazards need further explore these endpoints context environmental risk assessment.