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The neutral comet assay is sufficient to identify an apoptotic ‘window’ by visual inspection

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Abstract

As a sensitive technique for measuring DNA damage, the alkaline comet assay (capable of detecting and distinguishing apoptotic and necrotic damage) shows significantly greater ability to detect DNA breaks than a neutral counterpart. Using a heat shock model, we show that the fraction of visually detectable comets decreases using the neutral assay as cell death shifts from apoptosis to necrosis. We also show a virtual absence of neutral comets in cells dying by necrosis in another model. We conclude that the non-denaturing assay allows identification of putative apoptotic ‘windows’ by showing sensitivity to apoptotic, but not necrotic, DNA damage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Brigham Young University, 84602, Provo, Utah, USA

    D. W. Fairbairn & K. L. O'Neill

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  1. D. W. Fairbairn
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  2. K. L. O'Neill
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Correspondence to K. L. O'Neill.

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Fairbairn, D.W., O'Neill, K.L. The neutral comet assay is sufficient to identify an apoptotic ‘window’ by visual inspection. Apoptosis 1, 91–94 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142083

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142083

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