title: Increased chromosome radiosensitivity during pregnancy.
abstract: It was necessary to consider the risks of exposure of pregnant women, not only in relation to the child, but also in relation to their own hypersensitivity. We have demonstrated that pregnancy increases radiosensitivity of chromosome in the mouse at the end of gestation. This is of importance since it may have implications on radioprotection of pregnant women and give experimental guidelines to the problems of hypersensitivity to drugs and cancer aggravation during pregnancy. Blood obtained from women at various times of pregnancy was exposed to ionizing radiations. By comparison to non-pregnant women, an increase in chromosome breakage was observed in metaphases from lymphocytes, after short-term culture in the presence of the serum of the same donor. Immediately after delivery, this increase in radiosensitivity disappeared. In a prospective study, serial analyses showed a very strong correlation between the amount of pregnancy hormones, progesterone in particular, and the increase in radiosensitivity. Pregnant women may have an increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation during the second half of their pregnancy. This study provides the first evidence in human that radiosensitivity may vary in relation to physiological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Laboratoire de Radiobiologie et Oncologie, DRR, DSV, Fontenay aux roses, France. ricoul@dsvidf.cea.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricoul
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabatier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dutrillaux
mesh_terms: D019457:Chromosome Breakage; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008677:Metaphase; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D016192:Resting Phase, Cell Cycle; D016196:S Phase
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone