Temperature and the formation of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations. II. The temperature dependence of lesion repair and lesion interaction.
Dicentric chromosome aberration yields have been measured after single-exposure and split-dose irradiations of human lymphocytes with 150 kV X-rays. Various temperature programmes between 4 and 37 degrees C were applied before, during and after irradiations and in the radiation-free interval. It was found that chromatin lesion repair was completely suppressed at 21 degrees C and below, whereas lesion formation is reduced only below 17 degrees C. The interaction between repairable lesions which leads to exchange-type aberrations is also suppressed by low temperatures. Hypothermic suppression of chromatin lesion repair and interaction is fully reversible at least up to 12 h of maintenance of the 'stored' state of these lesions.
D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004260:DNA Repair; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D011831:Radiation Genetics; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors