title: Lack of detectable transmissible chromosomal instability after in vivo or in vitro exposure of mouse bone marrow cells to 224Ra alpha particles.
abstract: Several studies over recent years have highlighted the possibility that radiation can induce transmissible genomic instability. Most of these involve in vitro irradiation and usually in vitro culture. Here it is reported that the short-half-life bone-seeking alpha-particle emitter (224)Ra did not induce excess transmissible chromosomal instability in CBA/H mouse bone marrow cells in a 100-day period after in vivo or in vitro exposure. Similarly, no excess transmissible chromosomal instability could be detected after in vivo whole-body X irradiation. It was noted, however, that short-term culture of murine bone marrow cells elevated yields of aberrations, as did transplantation of untreated marrow into radiation-ablated hosts. These findings emphasize the sensitivity of murine hemopoietic tissue to experimental manipulation and reinforce the importance of appropriate concurrent control experiments in any investigation of transmissible genomic instability.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Effects Department, National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bouffler
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002842:Chromatids / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004249:DNA Damage; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006207:Half-Life; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D011886:Radon / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D011886:Radon