title: Effect of vitamin C or beta-carotene on SCE induction by gamma rays in radiosensitized murine bone marrow cells in vivo.
abstract: The in vivo effect of vitamin C or beta-carotene on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) radio-induction was determined in murine bone marrow cells sensitized by BrdU incorporation. Pre- or post-treatment with 100 mg/kg body wt vitamin C did not cause a significant reduction in SCE induced by the exposure to 0.63 Gy gamma-rays. Treatment with a double dose of vitamin C and with 0.45 Gy radiation did not cause a significant reduction in SCE frequency. However, due to the fact that vitamin C per se is capable of SCE induction, if an additive effect of radiation and vitamin C is considered, the expected frequency is higher than that observed. This implies that vitamin C could have a slight radioprotective activity. With regard to beta-carotene, it has been demonstrated that 50 mg/kg body wt causes a statistically significant increase per se, although pre- and post-treatment with the same dose has an additive effect on SCE frequency induced by 0.62 Gy radiation. This indicates that beta-carotene does not have radioprotective activity under the conditions used in the present study.
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Genética, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, México, DF México.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales-Ramírez
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mendiola-Cruz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cruz-Vallejo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D019207:beta Carotene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid