Identification of quantitative trait loci controlling levels of radiation-induced thymocyte apoptosis in mice.
Thymocyte apoptosis levels are higher in C57BL/6J mice than in C3Hf/Kam mice. Low-dose irradiation increases the numbers of thymocytes undergoing apoptosis, but the strain difference persists. We mapped three loci controlling radiation-induced thymocyte apoptosis levels in F2 intercross progeny of these strains. The strongest association of a genomic region with an apoptosis level occurred in a region of chromosome 11 known to harbor a locus (or loci) important in the pathogenesis of several rodent models of autoimmune disease. Additional loci influencing radiation-induced thymocyte apoptosis were identified on chromosomes 9 and 16. The genetic polymorphisms underlying these loci may have an evolutionary role in fine-tuning the apoptotic response in T cells and may be important in the etiology of lymphoproliferative disorders and autoimmunity.
Weil
M M
MM
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4095, USA.
Xia
X
X
Lin
Y
Y
Stephens
L C
LC
Amos
C I
CI
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000528:radiation effects*
D005819:Genetic Markers