Effect of smoking on chromosomes compared with that of radiation in the residents of a high-background radiation area in China.
Cytogenetic investigation of stable-type aberrations (translocations) was carried out with our improved methods on 28 elderly individuals in a high-background radiation area (HBRA) in China, and on 24 elderly individuals in a control area (CA). The level of radiation in HBRA is 3 to 5 times higher than in CA. The mean frequencies of translocations per 1,000 cells in HBRA and CA were 12.4 +/- 5.3 and 10.0 +/- 3.8, respectively. No significant difference was found in the frequencies between HBRA and CA (P>0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). When elderly individuals in HBRA and CA were classified into four subgroups of HBRA nonsmokers, HBRA smokers, CA nonsmokers, and CA smokers, a significant difference was found in the frequencies between CA smokers and CA nonsmokers (P<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). Furthermore a tendency of difference (a near T-value of 0.05 level) was found in a comparison of HBRA smokers vs. CA nonsmokers. The present results indicate that the elevated level of natural radiation in HBRA plays a less significant part than smoking in bringing about the induction rate of stable-type aberrations (translocations) in those areas.
Zhang
Wei
W
National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Wang
Chunyan
C
Chen
Deqing
D
Minamihisamatsu
Masako
M
Morishima
Hiroshige
H
Yuan
Yongling
Y
Wei
Luxin
L
Sugahara
Tsutomu
T
Hayata
Isamu
I
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001417:Background Radiation; D002681:China; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*