title: The influence of dose, dose-rate and particle fragmentation on cataract induction by energetic iron ions.
abstract: Because activities in space necessarily involve chronic exposure to a heterogeneous charged particle radiation field it is important to assess the influence of dose-rate and the possible modulating role of heavy particle fragmentation on biological systems.  Using the well-studied cataract model, mice were exposed to plateau 600 MeV/amu 56Fe ions either as acute or fractionated exposures at total doses of 5 - 504 cGy.  Additional groups of mice received 20, 360 and 504 cGy behind 50 mm of polyethylene, which simulates body shielding.  The reference radiation consisted of 60Co gamma radiation.  The animals were examined by slit lamp biomicroscopy over their three year life spans.  In accordance with our previous observations with heavy particles, the cataractogenic potential of the 600 MeV/amu 56Fe ions was greater than for low-LET radiation and increased with decreasing dose relative to gamma-rays.  Fractionation of a given dose of 56Fe ions did not reduce the cataractogenicity of the radiation compared to the acute regimen.  Fragmentation of the beam in the polyethylene did not alter the cataractotoxicity of the ions, either when administered singly or in fractions.
authors.affiliation: The Eye Radiation and Environmental Research Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Medvedovsky
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Worgul
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeitlin
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D003359:Cosmic Radiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007477:Ions; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011835:Radiation Protection; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D007477:Ions; D007501:Iron