MC Members:

Andrew Collins, Annamaria Brech, Biljana Potparević, Blanca Laffon, Bojana Žegura, Carina Ladeira, Carla Costa, Cristian Del Bo, Elke Richling, Goran Gajski, Gudrun Koppen, Helga Stopper, João Paulo Teixeira, Katarina Volkovova, Katja Goričar, Lada Živković, Lisa Giovannelli, Lucyna Kapka-Skrzypczak, Magdalena Matysiak, Marcin Kruszewski, Maria Dusinska, Marie Carriere, Matjaz Novak, Metka Filipič, Mirta Milić, Monika Sramkova, Nikolajs Sjakste, Nursen Basaran, Patrizia Riso, Pavel Rossner, Peter Eckl, Siegfried Knasmueller, Solange Costa, Sona Vodenkova, Susan Duthie, Vanessa Valdiglesias, Vita Dolzan, Zsuzsanna Nemeth

Non MC Members:

Alena Opattova, Avdulla Alija, Malzorgata Dobrzynska

Objective:

This working group will assess the suitability of different types of human cells for comet assay analysis.

Tasks:

1. The combined database will yield information about the type of cells assayed in human trials. Most will be PBMN cells, but in some cases other samples - such as whole blood, or buccal epithelial cells - will have been used. Levels of damage found in the different cell types will be compared.
2. The suitability of frozen whole blood as a source of leukocytes will be assessed by members of the COST Action (using own resources). A protocol for isolation of the cells will be provided. PBMN cells will be isolated from blood samples from a small number of volunteers in each centre; aliquots of the same blood samples will be frozen at -80°C and leukocytes isolated later. Results from the different labs will be analysed together, to look for correlations (or not) between DNA damage levels in leukocytes and PBMN cells.
3. The feasibility of using stored buffy coat as a source of leukocytes will be explored (a project for one or two COST laboratories).

Milestones:

Recruitment of COST members with own resources to take part in the PBMN/leukocyte study and buffy coat trial (Month 3)

Deliverables:

1. Report on comparative data retrieved from combined database (Month 24)
   
2. Recommendations on suitability of different cell types for biomonitoring (Month 30)
   
3. Publication on levels of DNA damage in leukocytes and PBMN cells, correlated or not (Month 30)

Second Year of the Project

Goal:

Comparison of performance of comet assay on different human cell types; relates to Objective 7.

Milestones:

M6.2. Analyse data from database on different cell types (Month 21) 

M6.3. Perform experiments on different cell preparation methods (Month 24)

Deliverable:

D6.1. Report on comparative data retrieved from combined database; publications (Month 24)