Minimum Information for Reporting on the Comet Assay (MIRCA): recommendations for describing comet assay procedures and results
Peter Möller, Amaya Azqueta, Élisa Boutet-Robinet, Gudrun Koppen, Stefano Bonassi, Mirta Milić, Goran Gajski, Solange Costa, João Paulo Teixeira, Cristiana Pereira, Mária Dušinská, Roger Godschalk, Gunnar Brunborg, Kristine B. Gützkow, Lisa Giovannelli, Marcus S. Cooke, Elke Richling, Blanca Laffón, Vanessa Valdiglesias, Nurşen Başaran, Cristian Del Bo’, Bojana Žegura, Matjaž Novak, Helga Stopper, Pavel Vodička, Soňa Vodenková, Vanessa Moraes de Andrade, Monika Šrámková, Alena Gábelová, Andrew Collins, Sabine A. S. Langie
Abstract
The comet assay is a widely used test for the detection of DNA damage and repair activity. However, there are interlaboratory differences in reported levels of baseline and induced damage in the same experimental systems. These differences may be attributed to protocol differences, although it is difficult to identify the relevant conditions because detailed comet assay procedures are not always published. Here, we present a Consensus Statement for the Minimum Information for Reporting Comet Assay (MIRCA) providing recommendations for describing comet assay conditions and results. These recommendations differentiate between 'desirable' and 'essential' information: 'essential' information refers to the precise details that are necessary to assess the quality of the experimental work, whereas 'desirable' information relates to technical issues that might be encountered when repeating the experiments. Adherence to MIRCA recommendations should ensure that comet assay results can be easily interpreted and independently verified by other researchers.