Indications of repair of radon-induced chromosome damage in human lymphocytes: an adaptive response induced by low doses of X-rays.

Naturally occurring radon is a relatively ubiquitous environmental carcinogen to which large numbers of people can be exposed over their lifetimes. The accumulation of radon in homes, therefore, has led to a large program to determine the effects of the densely ionizing alpha particles that are produced when radon decays. In human lymphocytes, low doses of X-rays can decrease the number of chromatid deletions induced by subsequent high doses of clastogens. This has been attributed to the induction of a repair mechanism by the low-dose exposures. Historically, chromosome aberrations induced by radon have been considered to be relatively irreparable. The present experiments, however, show that if human peripheral blood lymphocytes are irradiated with low doses of X-rays (2 cGy) at 48 hr of culture, before being exposed to radon at 72 hr of culture, the yield of chromatid deletions induced by radon is decreased by a factor of two. Furthermore, the numbers of aberrations per cell do not follow a Poisson distribution but are overdispersed, as might be expected because high-linear energy transfer (high LET) alpha particles have a high relative biological effectiveness compared to low-LET radiations such as X-rays or gamma rays. Pretreatment with a low dose of X-rays decreases the overdispersion and leads to a greater proportion of the cells having no aberrations, or lower numbers of aberrations, than is the case in cells exposed to radon alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Toxicology Studies of Lewisite and Sulfur Mustard Agents: Genetic Toxicity of Lewisite (L) In Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

The cytotoxic clastogenic and mutagenic effects of the arsenic containing vesicant, Lewisite (L) [dichloro(2-chlorovinyl) arsine], have been investigated using Chinese hamster ovary cells. One hour exposures to Lewisite were cytotoxic in uM amounts. The cell survival response yields a D37 of 0.6 uM and an extrapolation number of 2.5. The mutagenic response at the hypoxantnine-guanine phosporibosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus was sporadic and not significantly greater than control values when cells were exposed over a range of 0.125 to2.0 uM. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) induction, a measure of chromosomal rearrangement, was weakly positive over a range of 0.25 to 1.0 uM but the values were not significantly greater than the control response. Chromosomal aberrations were induced at 0.75 and 1.0 UMin one experiment and 0.5 and 0.75 uM in another experiment. The Induced values were significantly greater than the control values. Lewisite appears to be cytotoxic and clastogenic in our investigations but SCE and mutation at the HGPRT locus are not significantly greater than control values. Lewisita toxicity was in some ways similar to radiomimetic chemicals such as bleomycin

[RES4]- AS AN UNUSUALLY STRONG OMICRON-ACCEPTOR LIGAND - [CL2FE(RES4)FECL2]2-, A LINEAR HETEROMETALLIC CLUSTER WITH AN ODD NUMBER OF ELECTRONS

Müller A, Krickemeyer E, Baumann FW, Jostes R, Bögge H. [RES4]- AS AN UNUSUALLY STRONG OMICRON-ACCEPTOR LIGAND - [CL2FE(RES4)FECL2]2-, A LINEAR HETEROMETALLIC CLUSTER WITH AN ODD NUMBER OF ELECTRONS. CHIMIA. 1986;40(9):310-311

A USEFUL CLASSIFICATION OF METAL SULFIDES

Müller A, Diemann E, JOSTES R. A USEFUL CLASSIFICATION OF METAL SULFIDES. Naturwissenschaften. 1984;71(8):420-421