Implications of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki genetic studies for the estimation of the human "doubling dose" of radiation.
Since 1946 a continuous effort to evaluate the potential genetic effects of the atomic bombs has been sustained. Observations on children born in Hiroshima and Nagasaki include sex ratio, congenital malformations, stillbirths, survival of liveborn infants, chromosomal abnormalities (sex chromosomal abnormalities and balanced chromosomal rearrangements), mutations altering protein structure or activity, and physical growth and development. There are no statistically significant differences between the children of parents who received increased amounts of radiation at the time of the bombings and those whose parents did not. However, the difference between the two sets of children is consistent with the hypothesis of a genetic effect of the exposure, but its magnitude suggests humans are not as sensitive to the genetic effects of radiation as projected from the mouse paradigm.
Neel
J V
JV
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0618.
Schull
W J
WJ
Awa
A A
AA
Satoh
C
C
Otake
M
M
Kato
H
H
Yoshimoto
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000235:genetics; D012306:Risk