Comet assay and its use for evaluating oxidative DNA damage in some pathological states.

The comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), is a sensitive, rapid, relatively simple and inexpensive method for detecting DNA strand breaks in individual cells. It is used in a broad variety of applications and as a tool to investigate DNA damage and repair. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay are greatly enhanced if the DNA incubated with an enzyme which recognizes a specific kind of DNA damage. This damage induced by oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in many diseases and in aging. This article is a critical review of the possible application of the comet assay in some pathological states in clinical practice. Most of the studies relate to evaluating the response of an organism to chemotherapy or radiotherapy with statistically significant evidence of DNA damage in patients. Other useful applications have been demonstrated for patients with heart or neurodegenerative diseases. Only a few studies have been published on the use of this method in critically ill patients, although its use would be appropriate. There are also other scenarios where the comet assay could prove to be very useful in the future, such as in predicting the likelihood of certain pathological conditions.