title: Technical report: application of the Metafer2 fluorescence scanning system for the analysis of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations measured by FISH-chromosome painting.
abstract: The Metafer2 fluorescence scanning system was used for routine analysis of radiation-induced exchange aberrations measured by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) chromosome painting in human peripheral lymphocytes. The system enables a rapid and unbiased fully-automated finding and image acquisition of fluorescently stained metaphase spreads. The chromosome aberration analysis is performed interactively from stored digitised processed gallery images, presented on a screen. Appropriate software image filters are available to further improve these pictures by background correction, noise reduction and fluorescence signal enhancement. Data sets generated by computer-assisted and manual scoring of radiation-induced reciprocal translocations (2B) and total 2B (2B+related 'one-way' types) or complete dicentrics (2A) and total 2A (2A+related 'one-ways') involving painted target chromosomes 2, 3 or 4 were compared and no significant differences were found.A linear-quadratic dose-response curve for total translocations (2B+'one-ways'+complex-derived types) based on computer-assisted analysis of 27,741 metaphases with chromosome 4 painting was compared to a curve obtained earlier for manually scored translocations in a set of target chromosomes 1, 4 and 12. After extrapolation to the whole genome, no significant difference between both curves was found. From our results it can be derived that computer-assisted aberration analysis using the Metafer2 system is a reliable alternative to manual analysis. Since time saving for computer-assisted translocation analysis is about 50% compared to manual scoring, this system is highly promising for a practical application in retrospective biodosimetry of human radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: GSF - National Research Center, Institute of Radiobiology, P.O. Box 1129, 85758, Neuherberg, Germany. rhuber@gsf.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kulka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lörch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braselmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bauchinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001331:Automation; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology; D020223:Chromosome Painting / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000528:radiation effects*