Table 1.
Bile acids induce DNA damage in cells of the esophagus
| Cells/tissues | Bile acids that induce DNA damage | Assay for damage | Ref. |
| Cultured SV40-transformed, squamous esophageal epithelial cells (HET1-A) and Barrett’s associated adenocarcinoma cells (FLO-1) | DCA; also cocktail containing GCA, TCA, TCDCA | Comet assay1 for strand breaks | [18] |
| Cultured SV40-transformed, squamous esophageal epithelial cells (HET1-A) | DCA | Comet assay for strand breaks; evidence for oxidative mechanism involving nitric oxide | [19] |
| Cultured human adenocarcinoma cells (OE33) | DCA | Micronuclei assay; induction of micronuclei by DCA, reduced by antioxidants | [15,20] |
| Biopsies from human Barrett’s esophageal metaplastic tissue | Cocktail containing DCA, GCA, TCA, GDCA, GCDCA | 8-OHdG, an oxidized form of the DNA base guanine; assayed by IHC | [14] |
| Mouse model of esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus | DCA (as dietary supplement; also zinc deficiency) | 8-OHdG assayed by IHC | [17] |
1
Comet assay, also known as the single cell gel electrophoresis assay; 8-OHdG: 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine; IHC: Immunohistochemical assay.