The effect of erythromycin and its thiocarbamide derivative on the induction of meiotic chromosome rearrangements in irradiated male mice.
Antibiotics, erythromycin and a thiocarbamide derivative of erythromycin were tested for their ability to induce chromosome translocations in whole-body irradiated mice with a dose of 600 r. The aim of the present paper was to determine whether these antibiotics might induce by themselves, chromosomal translocations and whether these agents have a protective effect against X-rays-induced chromosomal translocations in the spermatocytes at the first meiotic metaphase. The incidence of translocations in irradiated animals was 9.07%; in animals treated with erythromycine after irradiation it was 3.80%; and in those treated with a thiocarbamide derivative of erythromycin following irradiation was 3.20%. Not a single chromosome rearrangement was scored among the non-irradiated animals, treated with the mentioned antibiotics.
D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011830:Radiation Effects; D011835:Radiation Protection; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D004917:Erythromycin