ArticleEnvironmental geochemistry and health2026
Biomarkers of early biological effect in Saudi children: associations of comet assay parameters and global DNA methylation with anthropometric, cardiometabolic, and hematological markers.
Article in Environmental geochemistry and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
DNA damage and epigenetic regulation are early biological processes that may reflect metabolic, inflammatory, hematological, and environmental influences during childhood, yet data integrating comet assay parameters, global DNA methylation, and clinical or exposure-related indicators in Middle Eastern children remain limited. This cross-sectional study examined global DNA methylation and comet assay parameters among 230 Saudi children aged 2-14 years attending Family Health and Polyclinics clinics in Riyadh. DNA damage was assessed using the alkaline comet assay, with tail moment and tail intensity as principal parameters, while global DNA methylation was measured as 5MedCyd concentration using ELISA. Anthropometric, blood pressure, hematological, inflammatory, and exploratory urinary exposure biomarkers, including 1-hydroxypyrene, trans,trans-muconic acid, S-phenylmercapturic acid, and cotinine, were evaluated. Mean tail moment and tail intensity were 4.56 ± 3.34 and 11.00 ± 4.32%, respectively, while mean global DNA methylation was 2.61 ± 1.42 µM. Comet assay parameters showed weak positive correlations with BMI and blood pressure measures, but these associations did not remain significant after adjustment. Global DNA methylation was strongly and positively associated with WBC count (β = 1.074, 95% CI: 0.847 to 1.301, p < 0.001) and inversely associated with HB (β = - 0.008, 95% CI: - 0.015 to - 0.001, p = 0.017). Urinary exposure biomarkers were largely not associated with methylation or comet assay parameters. Exploratory analyses showed modest inverse trends between benzene metabolites and WBC, and lower log-transformed global DNA methylation among children reporting residential traffic exposure. These findings indicate that global DNA methylation was more strongly associated with hematological characteristics, particularly WBC, whereas comet assay parameters showed only modest associations with anthropometric and blood pressure-related indicators. Environmental exposure biomarker findings should be interpreted as exploratory.
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