title: Activation of endogenous C-type retroviral genomes by internal alpha-irradiation of mice with 224Radium.
abstract: Sensitive cocultivation techniques were applied to study the radiation-induced activation of endogenous retroviral genomes in different mouse strains by the alpha-emitting radionuclide 224Radium. Activated infectious C-type retroviruses were detected in spleen, bone marrow and bone tissues of C57BL/6-, BALB/c- and NMRI mice. The titres of high-dose-irradiated animals were higher than those found in low-dose-irradiated animals. Infectious retrovirus could be detected with a dose of 13.2 rad (maximum dose rate 0.9 rad/day) in the skeleton, and a dose of 4.2 rad (maximum dose rate 0.3 rad/day) in the spleen. The virus activation pattern was different in the three mouse strains. These data indicate that activation of endogenous retroviral genomes by alpha-irradiation shows a dose-effect relationship and a dependence on the genetic background of the mouse.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Erfle
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000382:microbiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000382:microbiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011883:Radium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D011883:Radium