房颤患者血浆BNP水平的变化及临床意义

目的:研究血浆脑钠肽在阵发性房颤和持续性房颤患者中的变化及临床意义.方法:用酶联免疫法检测23例阵发性房颤和19例持续性房颤患者血浆BNP水平,并与健康对照组BNP进行比较.结果:转复为窦性心律前,两房颤组BNP水平无显著差别,且均高于对照组,转复为窦性心律后,两房颤组BNP水平明显下降(P＜0.05).结论:心房颤动影响血浆BNP水平的分泌.在转复为窦性心律后血浆BNP水平下降.提示血浆BNT水平可作为预测心房颤动发生的生化指标.     

NT-proBNP对胺碘酮用于急诊阵发房颤复律疗效的预测价值

目的:研究N末端B型利钠肽原(N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, NT-proBNP)对胺碘酮用于急诊阵发性非瓣膜病心房颤动疗效的预测价值。方法:收集2016-2017年于宣武医院急诊科诊断为阵发性非瓣膜病房颤(发病48h内)的患者共110例,记录所有患者人院时一般资料、既往病史、临床症状体征、实验室数据及测定肌钙蛋白I(Troponin-I, TnI)水平和基线NT-proBNP水平,均给予胺碘酮静脉转复治疗。按照胺碘酮转复情况分为成功组和失败组。结果:静脉应用胺碘酮成功转复91例(82.7%),平均转复时间8.15小时(SD10.16),转复失败者24 h内心室率均控制在100次/min以下,均无严重不良反应。成功组血浆基线NT-pro BNP水平显著低于失败组(P0.05);而两组患者性别、年龄、入室血压、心室率、胸痛、房颤持续时间、入室心电图ST段压低、Tn I水平、冠心病史、高血压、糖尿病、房颤史比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。二元logistic回归分析显示NT-proBNP的自然对数,即In(NT-proBNP)为急诊房颤胺碘酮复律疗效的主要影响因素。结论:对于非瓣膜病房颤急性发作48 h的患者,胺碘酮转复是安全有效的;基线NT-proBNP水平是药物复律成功的重要预测因子,如基线NT-proBNP水平较高,则复律成功率低,为了避免药物的不良反应,可考虑控制心室率,而不是复律治疗。     

房颤不同时期结构重构的血清学变化

目的:探讨转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)、基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)、金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子-1(TIMP-1)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、白介素-6(IL-6)、白介素-10(IL-10)与阵发性或持续性房颤结构重构的关系。方法:入选患者分为3组,其中持续性房颤组30例、阵发性房颤组45例,以及32例阵发性室上速(包括预激综合征)作为对照组,通过ELISA方法检测上述患者左房血清的TGF-β1、MMP-9、TIMP-1、TNF-α、IL-6、IL-10水平,超声测量左心房长径。分析上述细胞因子水平与阵发性房颤或持续性房颤的关系。结果:阵发性房颤组与对照组相比,左房内径增大、TGF-β1、TNF-α升高(P0.05),IL-10、TIMP-1降低(P0.05),MMP-9无统计学差异。持续性房颤组与对照组相比,TGF-β1无统计学差异(P0.05),MMP-9、TNF-α、IL-6均升高(P0.05),IL-10、TIMP-1降低(P0.05);阵发性房颤组TGF-β1高于持续性房颤组(P0.05),持续性房颤组左房内径及MMP-9高于阵发性房颤组(P0.05)。结论:阵发性房颤患者左房扩大,已出现结构重构,结构重构的血清学变化以TGF-β1升高为主;持续性房颤患者结构重构血清学变化以MMP-9、IL-6升高为主。     

老年高血压心室肥厚并心房颤动患者血浆脑钠肽水平的变化及意义

目的探讨老年高血压左室肥厚合并持续性心房颤动与血浆B型脑钠肽(BNP)水平的关系。方法选择2011年1月~2012年12月我院住院及门诊的老年高血压患者106例,对其中48例有持续性心房颤动的老年高血压左室肥厚患者(A组)的血浆BNP水平、左室间隔厚度(IVS)、左房内径(LAD)和左室射血分数(LVEF)进行检测,并与其中30例无房颤病史的高血压心室肥厚(B组)患者及28例单纯高血压(C组)患者进行比较。结果在3组患者左房内径无差异的情况下,合并房颤老年高血压患者血浆BNP水平显著高于无房颤病史者,且随左室肥厚程度加重而升高。结论高血压左室肥厚合并持续性房颤患者的BNP水平明显升高。BNP水平可作为预测高血压左室肥厚患者房颤发生的危险因素。     

左房内径、血清尿酸水平与老年心房颤动的相关性分析

目的:探讨左房内径(LAD)、血清尿酸(UA)水平与老年心房颤动的相关性。方法:选择2013年1月至2016年7月在我院住院的60岁以上的非瓣膜性房颤患者,共166例,其中持续性房颤组85例,阵发性房颤组81例,选择同期无房颤的高血压、冠心病老年患者83例作对照组。通过心脏彩超检查检测LAD、左心室舒张末期内径(LVDD)、左心室收缩末期内径(LVDS)、左心室射血分数(LVEF),以≥40 mm为左房内径增大。并采用生化分析检测患者血清UA水平。结果:(1)持续性房颤组LAD、LVEF、左心房增大发生率均显著高于阵发性房颤组和对照组,而阵发性房颤组以上指标均明显高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。(2)持续性房颤组和阵发性房颤组患者血清UA水平均显著高于对照组,但持续性房颤组和阵发性房颤组之间血清UA水平比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:左心房内径大小、血尿酸水平与老年患者心房颤动的发生密切相关。     

血清脑钠肽、超敏C反应蛋白、可溶性ST2对阵发性心房颤动患者射频消融术后复发的预测价值研究

摘要 目的：探讨血清脑钠肽（BNP）、超敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、可溶性致瘤抑制素2（sST2）对阵发性心房颤动（AF）患者射频消融（RFA）术后复发的预测价值。方法：选择2016年1月至2020年12月我院收治的接受RFA术治疗的82例阵发性AF患者,术后随访12个月,根据术后是否复发分为复发组（25例）和未复发组（57例）。检测患者血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2水平,收集临床相关资料,采用多因素Logistic回归模型分析影响阵发性AF患者RFA术后复发的因素,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2预测阵发性AF患者RFA术后复发的价值。结果：复发组血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2水平高于未复发组（P＜0.05）。血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2水平升高、AF病程增长是影响阵发性AF患者RFA术后复发的危险因素（P＜0.05）。血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2预测阵发性AF患者消融术后复发的曲线下面积分别为0.720、0.694、0.718,联合三者预测阵发性AF患者RFA术后复发的曲线下面积为0.866,高于BNP、hs-CRP、sST2单独预测。结论：阵发性AF患者血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2水平升高是RFA术后复发的危险因素,联合检测血清BNP、hs-CRP、sST2水平有助于预测阵发性AF患者RFA术后复发。     

胺碘酮对急诊老年快速心房颤动患者的疗效观察

目的:通过与传统控制心室率的药物去乙酰毛花苷注射液进行对比,探讨胺碘酮注射液对老年快速型心房颤动患者的临床疗效.方法:选择2010年5月～2012年6月我院急诊科收治的老年快速房颤患者60例,按就诊先后顺序随机分为对照组与胺碘酮治疗组,每组30例.胺碘酮治疗组患者先给予胺碘酮注射液150 mg以生理盐水稀释后缓慢静脉注射,继以0.5 mg/min静滴;对照组患者先予去乙酰毛花苷注射液0.2 mg稀释后缓慢静脉推注,若20 min无效则再次给药,两组患者的院内观察周期均为24h,患者在观察过程中行全程心电监护,观察不同时间段(用药后0、0.5、2、12、24 h)患者的心室率,血压的变化;比较两种治疗方法的临床疗效及对患者复律情况的影响.结果:治疗前,两组患者的心室率比较无显著性差异(P＞0.05);第一次用药后0.5h,两组患者的心室率都较治疗前显著下降(P＜0.01),且用乙酰毛花苷注射液治疗的对照组显著低于胺碘酮治疗组(P＜0.05);用药后2和12h,两组患者的心室率比较均无显著性差异(P＞0.05);用药后24h,胺碘酮治疗组患者的心室率较对照组显著降低(P＜0.01).对照组的临床有效率为40.0％,复律率为l6.7％;而胺碘酮治疗组的临床有效率为73.3％,复律率为43.3％,分别显著高于对照组(P＜0.01).与用药前比较,用药后0.5、2、12和24h患者的收缩压略有下降,但差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论:与去乙酰毛花苷注射液比较,胺碘酮注射液可更有效地降低老年患者24h心室率,复律率和有效率更高,但在应用过程中需注意其不良反应.     

血清BNP、Gal-3联合左房容积指数对非体外循环冠状动脉搭桥术患者术后新发房颤的预测效能分析

摘要 目的：探讨血清B型脑钠肽（BNP）、半乳糖凝集素-3（Gal-3）联合左房容积指数（LAVI）对非体外循环冠状动脉搭桥术（OPCAB）患者术后新发房颤的预测效能。方法：选择2020年1月至2022年1月我院心血管外科收治的196例拟行OPCAB患者,根据术后住院期间是否新发房颤将患者分为新发房颤组（36例）和非新发房颤组（160例）。检测两组血清BNP、Gal-3水平和LAVI,收集所有患者的临床资料。采用多因素Logistic回归分析OPCAB患者术后新发房颤的影响因素。受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析BNP、Gal-3及LAVI预测OPCAB患者术后新发房颤的效能。结果：新发房颤组血清BNP、Gal-3水平及LAVI高于非新发房颤组（P＜0.05）。术后IABP辅助、年龄偏大、高水平BNP、高水平Gal-3、高LAVI是OPCAB患者术后新发房颤的危险因素（P＜0.05）。联合BNP、Gal-3和 LAVI预测OPCAB患者术后新发房颤的曲线下面积为0.872,高于BNP、Gal-3、LAVI单独检测的0.773、0.711、0.766。结论：OPCAB术后新发房颤患者血清BNP、Gal-3水平和LAVI均升高,上述指标均可辅助性预测OPCAB患者术后新发房颤的风险,且联合检测的预测效能更高。     

血清胱抑素C 水平与糖尿病心室重构关系的临床研究

目的:研究血清胱抑素C水平与糖尿病心室重构的关系。方法:选择2013年10月~2015年10月在我院进行诊治的糖尿病患者90例,检测血清胱抑素C水平,按照糖尿病患者血清胱抑素C水平的中位数,分为正常组(胱抑素C水平1.65mg/L)和升高组(胱抑素C水平1.65mg/L)。行超声心动图检测左室舒张末内径、左房内径、左室舒张末容积、室间隔厚度和左室后壁厚度,并计算出左室质量指数。对两组的这些指标进行比较,并分析血清胱抑素C与糖尿病心室重构的相关性。结果:与正常组相比,升高组的胱抑素C、左室舒张末内径、左房内径、室间隔厚度、左室后壁厚度、左室质量指数和脑钠肽水平均明显增高(P0.05);经过相关性分析,血清胱抑素C水平与左室舒张末内径、左房内径、室间隔厚度、左室后壁厚度、左室质量指数和脑钠肽均呈正相关(P0.05);Logistic回归分析显示左室舒张末内径、左房内径、室间隔厚度、左室后壁厚度、左室质量指数和脑钠肽等是胱抑素C水平升高的危险因素。结论:血清胱抑素C水平与糖尿病患者的心功能和心室重构具有明显相关性,可作为衡量糖尿病患者心室重构程度的一项参考指标。     

急诊阵发性心房颤动患者血清肌钙蛋白水平升高的相关影响因素分析

目的:通过比较急诊就诊时不同肌钙蛋白I(TnI)水平阵发性心房颤动(48小时内)患者临床特征的差异,探讨血清肌钙蛋白水平升高的相关影响因素,为临床识别高危房颤患者提供参考依据。方法:选取2016-2017年于宣武医院急诊诊断为阵发性房颤的患者110例,记录既往病史、临床症状体征、实验室检验结果及测定血清TnI水平,并根据TnI水平将患者分为TnI正常组(0.023μg/L)和TnI升高组(0.023μg/L),结合患者既往病史及用药史给予普罗帕酮或可达龙药物转复治疗。结果:急诊阵发房颤患者TnI升高发生率为11.8%,TnI峰值的平均值0.210μg/L,中位数0.067μg/L。TnI正常组和TnI升高组性别构成、血压、心室率、胸闷、头晕、乏力、高血压、糖尿病、慢性阻塞性肺部疾病、射频消融术、转复成功率及NT-proBNP比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);年龄、心悸、胸痛、腹背部不适感、冠心病、房颤病史、心电图ST段压低比较差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。二元logistic回归分析显示既往冠心病史及入室心电图ST段压低为血清TnI升高的影响因素。结论:既往冠心病史及心电图ST段压低为阵发房颤患者肌钙蛋白升高的影响因素,临床上需关注高龄以心绞痛样症状就诊的首次房颤患者。     

Dissecting the Heat Stress Response in Chlamydomonas by Pharmaceutical and RNAi Approaches Reveals Conserved and Novel Aspects

To study how conserved fundamental concepts of the heat stress response （HSR） are in photosynthetic eukaryotes, we applied pharmaceutical and antisense/amiRNA approaches to the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The Chlamydomonas HSR appears to be triggered by the accumulation of unfolded proteins, as it was induced at ambient temperatures by feeding cells with the arginine analog canavanine. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine strongly retarded the HSR, demonstrating the importance of phosphorylation during activation of the HSR also in Chlamydomonas. While the removal of extracellular calcium by the application of EGTA and BAPTA inhibited the HSR in moss and higher plants, only the addition of BAPTA, but not of EGTA, retarded the HSR and impaired thermotoler- ance in Chlamydomonas. The addition of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytosolic protein synthesis, abolished the attenu- ation of the HSR, indicating that protein synthesis is necessary to restore proteostasis. HSP90 inhibitors induced a stress response when added at ambient conditions and retarded attenuation of the HSR at elevated temperatures. In addition, we detected a direct physical interaction between cytosolic HSP90A/HSP70A and heat shock factor 1, but surprisingly this interaction persisted after the onset of stress. Finally, the expression of antisense constructs targeting chloroplast HSP70B resulted in a delay of the cell＇s entire HSR, thus suggesting the existence of a retrograde stress signaling cascade that is desensitized in HSP7OB-antisense strains.     

Cell Wall,Cytoskeleton, and Cell Expansion in Higher Plants

To accommodate two seemingly contradictory biological roles in plant physiology, providing both the rigid structural support of plant cells and the adjustable elasticity needed for cell expansion, the composition of the plant cell wall has evolved to become an intricate network of cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and pectic polysaccharides and protein. Due to its complexity, many aspects of the cell wall influence plant cell expansion, and many new and insightful observations and technologies are forthcoming. The biosynthesis of cell wall polymers and the roles of the variety of proteins involved in polysaccharide synthesis continue to be characterized. The interactions within the cell wall polymer network and the modification of these interactions provide insight into how the plant cell wall provides its dual function. The complex cell wall architecture is controlled and organized in part by the dynamic intracellular cytoskeleton and by diverse trafficking pathways of the cell wall polymers and cell wall-related machinery. Meanwhile, the cell wall is continually influenced by hormonal and integrity sensing stimuli that are perceived by the cell. These many processes cooperate to construct, maintain, and manipulate the intricate plant cell wall--an essential structure for the sustaining of the plant stature, growth, and life.     

Redox Regulation of Arabidopsis Mitochondrial Citrate Synthase

Citrate synthase has a key role in the tricarboxylic （TCA） cycle of mitochondria of all organisms, as it cata- lyzes the first committed step which is the fusion of a carbon-carbon bond between oxaloacetate and acetyl CoA. The regulation of TCA cycle function is especially important in plants, since mitochondrial activities have to be coordinated with photosynthesis. The posttranslational regulation of TCA cycle activity in plants is thus far almost entirely unexplored. Although several TCA cycle enzymes have been identified as thioredoxin targets in vitro, the existence of any thioredoxin-dependent regulation as known for the Calvin cycle, yet remains to be demonstrated. Here we have investigated the redox regulation of the Arabidopsis citrate synthase enzyme by site-directed mutagenesis of its six cysteine residues. Our results indicate that oxidation inhibits the enzyme activity by the formation of mixed disulfides, as the partially oxidized citrate synthase enzyme forms large redox-dependent aggregates. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that thioredoxin can cleave diverse intraas well as intermolecular disulfide bridges, which strongly enhances the activity of the enzyme. Activity measurements with the cysteine variants of the enzyme revealed important cysteine residues affecting total enzyme activity as well as the redox sensitivity of the enzyme.     

Organelle pH in the Arabidopsis Endomembrane System

The pH of intracellular compartments is essential for the viability of cells. Despite its relevance, little is known about the pH of these compartments. To measure pH in vivo, we have first generated two pH sensors by combining the improved-solubility feature of solubility-modified green fluorescent protein （GFP） （smGFP） with the pH-sensing capabil- ity of the pHluorins and codon optimized for expression in Arabidopsis. PEpHluorin （plant-solubility-modified ecliptic pHluorin） gradually loses fluorescence as pH is lowered with fluorescence vanishing at pH 6.2 and PRpHluorin （plant- solubility-modified ratiomatric pHluorin）, a dual-excitation sensor, allowing for precise measurements. Compartment- specific sensors were generated by further fusing specific sorting signals to PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin. Our results show that the pH of cytosol and nucleus is similar （pH 7.3 and 7.2）, while peroxisomes, mitochondrial matrix, and plastidial stroma have alkaline pH. Compartments of the secretory pathway reveal a gradual acidification, spanning from pH 7.1 in the endoplasmic reticulum （ER） to pH 5.2 in the vacuole. Surprisingly, pH in the trans-Golgi network （TGN） and mul- tivesicular body （MVB） is, with pH 6.3 and 6.2, quite similar. The inhibition of vacuolar-type H＋-ATPase （V-ATPase） with concanamycin A （ConcA） caused drastic increase in pH in TGN and vacuole. Overall, the PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin are excellent pH sensors for visualization and quantification of pH in vivo, respectively.     

How does the host-specialized aphid deal with food deficiency？

Aphis gossypii Glover shows obvious host specialization, with cucurbit- and cotton-specialized biotypes or host races in many regions. Because its annual natal hostcrops senesce earlier the cucurbit-specialized biotype may suffer food deficiency. The method this biotype uses to overcome this challenge is still poorly understood. In orderto understand the potential of the cucurbit-specialized biotype aphids in host shift and usage, the performance of this biotype on cotton （Gossypium hirsutum）, a common butpoor quality host plant, was explored in this study. The cucurbit-specialized aphids could establish populations on cotton only when these plants had at least nine leaves, and subsequent populations developed rather slowly. The presence of whitefly populations on cotton improved the success rate of cucurbit-specialized aphids. The cucurbit-specialized aphidswere mainly distributed on the older leaves of cotton, with only a few settling on the upper leaves. The cucurbit-specialized aphids reared on cotton for 40, 54 and 61 days stillmaintained strong preference for their natal host plant, cucumber （Cucumis sativus）, rather than cotton, and their net reproductive rates and intrinsic rates of natural increase weredramatically lower when they were transferred onto new six-leaf cotton plants or detached leaves. Therefore, we concluded that the cucurbit-specialized aphids have the potentialto utilize mature or whitefly-stressed cotton plants, but that this feeding experience on cotton did not alter their specialization for cucurbits. Some cotton plants could act as atemporary host for the cucurbit-specialized aphids to overcome food deficiency arising from senescing cucurbits.     

Plastid Signals and the Bundle Sheath： Mesophyll Development in Reticulate Mutants

The development of a plant leaf is a meticulously orchestrated sequence of events producing a complex organ comprising diverse cell types. The reticulate class of leaf variegation mutants displays contrasting pigmentation between veins and interveinal regions due to specific aberrations in the development of mesophyll cells. Thus, the reticulate mutants offer a potent tool to investigate cell-type-specific developmental processes. The discovery that most mutants are affected in plastid-localized, metabolic pathways that are strongly expressed in vasculature-associated tis- sues implicates a crucial role for the bundle sheath and their chloroplasts in proper development of the mesophyll cells. Here, we review the reticulate mutants and their phenotypic characteristics, with a focus on those in Arabidopsis thali- ana. Two alternative models have been put forward to explain the relationship between plastid metabolism and meso- phyll cell development, which we call here the supply and the signaling hypotheses. We critically assess these proposed models and discuss their implications for leaf development and bundle sheath function in C3 species. The characteriza- tion of the reticulate mutants supports the significance of plastid retrograde signaling in cell development and highlights the significance of the bundle sheath in C3 photosynthesis.     

Regulation of Cytokinesis by Exocyst Subunit SEC6 and KEULE in Arabidopsis thaliana

Proper vesicle tethering and membrane fusion at the cell plate are essential for cytokinesis. Both the vesicle tethering complex exocyst and membrane fusion regulator KEULE were shown to function in cell plate formation, but the exact mechanisms still remain to be explored. In this study, using yeast two-hybrid （Y-2-H） assay, we found that SEC6 interacted with KEULE, and that a small portion of C-terminal region of KEULE was required for the interaction. The direct SEC6-KEULE interaction was supported by further studies using in vitro pull-down assay, immunoprecipitation, and in vivo bimolecular florescence complementation （BIFC） microscopy, sec6 mutants were male gametophytic lethal as reported; however, pollen-rescued sec6 mutants （PRsec6） displayed cytokinesis defects in the embryonic cells and later in the leaf pavement cells and the guard cells. SEC6 and KEULE proteins were co-localized to the cell plate during cytokine- sis in transgenic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, only SEC6 but not other exocyst subunits located in the cell plate interacted with KEULE in vitro. These results demonstrated that, like KEULE, SEC6 plays a physiological role in cytokinesis, and the SEC6-KEULE interaction may serve as a novel molecular linkage between arriving vesicles and membrane fusion machin- ery or directly regulate membrane fusion during cell plate formation in plants.     

Perturbation of Auxin Homeostasis Caused by Mitochondrial FtSH4 Gene-Mediated Peroxidase Accumulation Regulates Arabiclopsis Architecture

Reactive oxygen species and auxin play important roles in the networks that regulate plant development and morphogenetic changes, However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between them are poorly understood. This study isolated a mas （More Axillary Shoots） mutant, which was identified as an allele of the mitochondrial AAA-protease AtFtSH4, and characterized the function of the FtSH4 gene in regulating plant development by medi- ating the peroxidase-dependent interplay between hydrogen peroxide （H2Oz） and auxin homeostasis. The phenotypes of dwarfism and increased axillary branches observed in the mas （renamed as ftsh4-4） mutant result from a decrease in the IAA concentration. The expression levels of several auxin signaling genes, including IAA1, IAA2, and IAA3, as well as several auxin binding and transport genes, decreased significantly in ftsh4-4 plants. However, the H202 and peroxidases levels, which also have IAA oxidase activity, were significantly elevated in ftsh4-4 plants. The ftsh4-4 phenotypes could be reversed by expressing the iaaM gene or by knocking down the peroxidase genes PRX34 and PRX33. Both approaches can increase auxin levels in the ftsh4-4 mutant. Taken together, these results provided direct molecular and genetic evidence for the interaction between mitochondrial ATP-dependent protease, H2O2, and auxin homeostasis to regulate plant growth and development.     

Genotoxicity biomarkers in aquatic bioindicators

Pollution of the aquatic environment is an ever-growing problem, as waters are the ultimate sink for the large number of xenobiotics from multiple sources. DNA damaging agents have a significant ecological relevance since they are implicated in many pathological processes and exert effects beyond that of individual being active through following generations. A large number of methods have been applied to evaluate genotoxic damage in different aquatic species. Comet assay, as method for de- tecting DNA alterations, and micronucleus test, as an index of chromosomal damage are the most widely applied and validated methods in field studies. These methods were applied in different vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic species, but only mollusk and fish species have been employed in routine biomonitoring programs. Mussels, due to their widely geographical distribution and the suitability for caging represent the bioindicator of choice in field studies. Mytilus species is the most used marine mussel. The use of fish is limited to specific geographic areas. The present review mainly focuses on the application of comet assay and micronucleus test in mussels. A number of biomonitoring studies in mussels, using comet assay or micronucleus test, revealed exposure to different classes of genotoxic compounds with a good discrimination power. The different evidence from the two as- says, reflects different biological mechanisms for the two genetic endpoints, DNA damage and chromosomal damage, suggesting their combined application in the field. Different endogenous and exogenous factors have been shown to modulate the genotoxic responses in mussels, acting as confounding factors in environmental monitoring. The use of standardized protocol for caging, sampling and genotoxity evaluation is critical in biomonitoring studies. The use of a multimarker approach coupling genotoxicity biomarkers with physiological and biochemical factors allows to have a complete picture of the environmental pollution [Current Zoology 60 （2）： 273-284, 2014].