title: Adaptive response in frogs chronically exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation in the environment.
abstract: Using the micronucleus assay, decreased levels of DNA damage were found after high dose ionizing radiation exposure of liver cells taken from frogs inhabiting a natural environment with above-background levels of ionizing radiation, compared to cells taken from frogs inhabiting background areas. The data obtained from a small number of animals suggest that stress present in the above-background environment could induce an adaptive response to ionizing radiation. This study did not reveal harmful effects of exposure to low levels of radioactivity. On the contrary, stress present in the above-background area may serve to enhance cellular defense mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Technologies Branch, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada K0J 1P0. stuartm@aecl.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Audette-Stuart
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McMullin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Festarini
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yankovich
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mulpuru
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009864:Ontario; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011898:Ranidae / Q000502:physiology*; D014316:Tritium / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium