The Genotoxicity of Alpha Particles in Human Embryonic Skin Fibroblasts

• Published in: Radiation research 1984-11, Vol.100 (2), p.321-327
• Main Authors: Chen, David J., Strniste, Gary F., Tokita, Nobuhiko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alpha Particles; Biological and medical sciences; Biological effects of radiation; Cell culture techniques; Cell Line; Cell lines; Cell Survival - radiation effects; CHO cells; Chromosome Mapping; Cultured cells; Diploidy; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Fibroblasts; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic mutation; Humans; Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase; Ionizing radiations; Mutation; Plutonium; Radiation dosage; Radiation Genetics; Skin - embryology; Solar X rays; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics
• ISSN: 0033-7587; 1938-5404
• DOI: 10.2307/3576353

Cell inactivation and induced mutation frequencies at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus have been measured in cultured human fibroblasts (GM10) exposed to α particles from^{238}{\rm Pu}$(LET at the cell surface was 100 keV/μm) and 250 kVp X rays. The survival curves resulting from exposure to α particles are exponential. The mean lethal dose, D0, is approximately 1.3 Gy for X rays and 0.25 Gy for α particles. As a function of radiation dose, mutation induction at the HGPRT locus was linear for α particles whereas the X-ray-induced mutation data were better fitted by a quadratic function. When mutation frequencies were plotted against the log of survival, mutation frequency at a given survival level was greater in cells exposed to α particles than to X rays.