Title: Investigation of the low-dose γ-irradiation effect on the spontaneous and high-dose radiation-induced level of cytogenetic damage in mouse bone marrow cells in vivo

Authors: S.I. Zaichkina, O.M. Rozanova, G.F. Aptikaeva, A.Kh. Akhmadieva, D.Yu. Klokov, H.N. Smirnova, V.E. Balakin

Addresses: Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, 142290 Pushchino, Russia. ' Branch of the Institute of Nuclear Physics SD RAS, 1422280 Protvino, Russia

Abstract: The effect of low-dose gamma-irradiation (0.1 or 0.2 Gy with a dose rate of 0.125 Gy/min) of mice on the spontaneous and high-dose radiation-induced level of cytogenetic damage during ageing of animals was studied using the micronucleus test. It was shown that a single low dose of gamma-radiation induces a cytogenetic adaptive response in mouse bone marrow cells, which persists for up to 12 months after irradiation; the ability of inducing the adaptive response does not depend on the age of animals at the moment of adapting irradiation; single low-dose γ-irradiation decreases the cytogenetic damage to a level below the spontaneous rate at the end of the lifetime (20 months) of animals. The mechanisms underlying adaptive response not only protect from cytogenetic damage induced by high-dose irradiation but also may play a role during spontaneous mutagenesis.

Keywords: gamma-irradiation; mice; cytogenetic damage; bone marrow cells; low dose rates; spontaneous mutagenesis; adaptive response; low radiation; animal ageing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2006.007890

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2006 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.1 - 12

Published online: 30 Sep 2005 *

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