title: Age and sex differences in genome damage between prepubertal and adult mice after exposure to ionising radiation.
abstract: The mechanisms that lead to sex and age differences in biological responses to exposure to ionising radiation and related health risks have still not been investigated to a satisfactory extent. The significance of sex hormones in the aetiology of radiogenic cancer types requires a better understanding of the mechanisms involved, especially during organism development. The aim of this study was to show age and sex differences in genome damage between prepubertal and adult mice after single exposure to gamma radiation. Genome damage was measured 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after exposure of 3-week and 12-week old BALB/CJ mice to 8 Gy of gamma radiation using an in vivo micronucleus assay. There was a significantly higher genome damage in prepubertal than in adult animals of both sexes for all sampling times. Irradiation caused a higher frequency of micronuclei in males of both age groups. Our study confirms sex differences in the susceptibility to effects of ionising radiation in mice and is the first to show that such a difference occurs already at prepubertal age.
authors.forename: Ranko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stojković
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fucic
authors.forename: Dušica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivanković
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jukić
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radulović
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grah
authors.forename: Nenad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kovačević
authors.forename: Lovro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barišić
authors.forename: Božo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krušlin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors