Analysis of Radiation-induced DNA Damages by Means of Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction

We have developed the method to detect DNA damage within the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification region and estimate the risk of secondary cancer induction in radiation cancer therapy. DNA samples were irradiated with γ-rays, and oxidative damage and abasic sites were converted into strand breaks using formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and endonuclease (III), respectively. The yields of DNA damage were subsequently evaluated by PCR. The ratio of strand breaks : abasic sites : oxidative damage was approximately 1.0 : 2.8 : 2.4, revealing the proportions of different apparent DNA damage.