Abstract

CASANOVA, N.A; WAGNER, M.L; LOPEZ NIGRO, M.M  and  CARBALLO, M.A. Effect of watercress on induced DNA damage, DNA repair and p-glycoprotein activity in human lymphocytes. BAG, J. basic appl. genet. [online]. 2014, vol.25, n.2, pp.53-60. ISSN 1852-6233.

Cruciferae vegetables are widely studied due to their potential anticarcinogenic properties. In the present work we analyzed the antigenotoxic effect of watercress (Nasturtium officinale, W. Aiton), a member of this family. The vegetal was processed, and the juice obtained was evaluated in relation with genetic material protection and DNA repair capacity against two deleterious agents: mitomycin C and hydrogen peroxide. The antigenotoxic properties were analyzed through cytokinesis block micronucleus test and comet assay (standard and with endonuclease), respectively. Besides, we tested the functionality of P-glycoprotein in human lymphocytes exposed to the whole extract. Watercress had no effect on mitomycin cytostatic effect (p>0.05) and although a decrease trend in micronuclei frequency was observed no statistical difference was found. In relation to DNA repair, a reduction in damage index was observed (p<0.001) since 4 hours of incubation with the juice but it did not reduce the number of oxidized pyrimidines. Respect to P-glycoprotein transporter, our results indicate that the juice of watercress did not change the activity of protein. In conclusion, to better understand the real beneficial effect of watercress in vitro, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism behind the chemopreventive effect observed.

Keywords : Chemopreventive effects; Comet assay; Micronucleus test; Transporters; Nasturtium officinale.

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