DNA damage induced by lithotripter generated shock waves: short report.

The side effects of shock waves on biological tissues have been intensively investigated in past years. In contrast to the morphological studies, only a little information exists up to now about molecular effects of shock waves at the DNA level. To study the shock wave effects on DNA in water solution, 100, 500, 1,000, 1,500 wave shocks, generated with a experimental lithotripter, were applied at 18 kV and 20 kV, corresponding to the positive pressure peaks of 16 and 30 MPa and negative ones of 5 and 9 MPa. The DNA damage was evaluated in two "submarine" electrophoresis approaches. In the first - standard DNA electrophoresis - no DNA damage was detected, confirming previously described results. In the second electrophoresis, performed under changed conditions, sever double strand DNA damage was found. Our results strongly suggest that shock waves applied at the therapeutical level of energy may generate the double strand DNA damage.