Comparative human cellular radiosensitivity: IV. The increased sensitivity of human neonatal cord blood lymphocytes to gamma-irradiation compared with lymphocytes from children and adults.
We have compared the gamma-irradiation survival of G0 peripheral blood lymphocytes from 18 neonatal cord blood samples in a cloning assay with results from 21 controls (age range 1-65 years and consisting of 20 adults and one child). Using mean inactivation dose as the discriminating parameter, the cord blood cells showed a significantly greater radiosensitivity (mean inactivation dose for pooled data = 1.54 Gy) than the normal controls (mean inactivation dose for pooled data = 1.90 Gy, p less than 0.001). These results confirm and extend earlier work suggesting that T-lymphocytes in newborn children are more radiosensitive than normal controls, and this may have implications for the radiation protection of the unborn child.
Waugh
A P
AP
MRC Cell Mutation Unit, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK.
Beare
D M
DM
Arlett
C F
CF
Green
M H
MH
Cole
J
J
D000328:Adult; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011836:Radiation Tolerance
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes