Low-dose radiation attenuates chemical mutagenesis in vivo.
The biological effects of low-dose radiation are not only of social concern but also of scientific interest. The radioadaptive response, which is defined as an increased radioresistance by prior exposure to low-dose radiation, has been extensively studied both in vitro and in vivo. Here we briefly review the radioadaptive response with respect to mutagenesis, survival rate, and carcinogenesis in vivo, and introduce our recent findings of cross adaptation in mouse thymic cells, that is, the suppressive effect of repeated low-dose radiation on mutation induction by the alkylating agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea.
Kakinuma
Shizuko
S
Experimental Biology for Children's Health Research Group, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan. skakinum@nirs.go.jp
Yamauchi
Kazumi
K
Amasaki
Yoshiko
Y
Nishimura
Mayumi
M
Shimada
Yoshiya
Y
D000818:Animals; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*