The Turnover of Tritium in Cell Nuclei, Chromatin, DNA, and Histone

Mice were exposed to constant internal levels of tritiated water starting at conception and continuing until they were 8 months old. At this point, exposure was discontinued and at various intervals thereafter nuclei, chromatin, and chromatin components were isolated from several tissues and analyze...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Radiation research 1982-12, Vol.92 (3), p.521-529
Main Authors: Commerford, S. L., Carsten, A. L., Cronkite, E. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Body Water - metabolism
Bone marrow
Bone Marrow - analysis
Bone marrow cells
Brain Chemistry
Cell nucleus
Cell Nucleus - metabolism
Chromatin
Chromatin - metabolism
DNA
DNA - metabolism
Histones
Histones - metabolism
Liver
Liver - analysis
Male
Mice
Potable water
Radiation dosage
Space life sciences
Testis - analysis
Time Factors
Tritium
Tritium - metabolism
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Summary:Mice were exposed to constant internal levels of tritiated water starting at conception and continuing until they were 8 months old. At this point, exposure was discontinued and at various intervals thereafter nuclei, chromatin, and chromatin components were isolated from several tissues and analyzed for nonexchangeable tritium. Initially, about two-thirds of the nonexchangeable tritium in cell nuclei is present in components other than chromatin, but after 8 weeks these labeled components have either vanished or dwindled into relative insignificance and essentially all tritium remaining in the nucleus is in DNA or histone. Although the amount of tritium initially present in DNA and histone is small compared to that in nuclear water, it remains much longer. Consequently the radiation dose from tritium in DNA plus histone may exceed that from tritiated water in cells with a long life span. However, tritium is incorporated into DNA and histones of cells only when they reproduce. Therefore, after transient exposure to tritiated water, this component will contribute significantly to the radiation of only those nuclei from cells with a long life span which happen to reproduce at the time of exposure. Such cells are rare in adults but common in juveniles and embryos.
ISSN:0033-7587
1938-5404
DOI:10.2307/3575924