title: Strain difference in jejunal crypt cell susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis.
abstract: Levels of radiation-induced jejunal crypt cell apoptosis were compared in C57BL/6J, C3Hf/Kam and C3H/HeJ mice. Apoptosis levels were consistently lower in the C3H strains than in C57BL/6J. Although other explanations are possible, the strain difference is most likely to have a genetic basis, and in fact a preliminary analysis of the F2 progeny of C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice indicates that more than one gene is involved. Both C3H strains also had lower levels of radiation-induced thymocyte apoptosis than C57BL/6J mice. Jejunal crypt cell apoptosis levels did not co-segregate with thymocyte apoptosis levels in the F2 progeny of C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ mice. These results imply that the genes responsible for the difference in radiation-induced thymocyte apoptosis levels between these two strains are not the same as those responsible for the strain difference in radiation-induced jejunal crypt cell apoptosis levels. The experiments reported here identify strain-specific differences in levels of radiation-induced crypt cell apoptosis and are a first step towards identifying genetic polymorphisms that influence sensitivity of the small intestine to damage from ionizing radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Radiotherapy, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Amos
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ruifrok
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H / Q000235:genetics*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D013045:Species Specificity; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects