Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1515/aiht-2016-67-2882
Age and sex differences in genome damage between prepubertal and adult mice after exposure to ionising radiation
Ranko Stojković
; Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Aleksandra Fučić
; Institute for Medical Research and Occubotional Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Dušica Ivanković
; Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Zoran Jukić
; General Hospital “Nova Gradiška”, Nova Gradiška, Croatia
Petra Radulović
; Clinical Hospital Centre “Sestre Milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Grah
; University Hospital “Zagreb”, Zagreb, Croatia
Nenad Kovačević
; University Hospital “Zagreb”, Zagreb, Croatia
Lovro Barišić
; University Hospital “Zagreb”, Zagreb, Croatia
Božo Krušlin
; Clinical Hospital Centre “Sestre Milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
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.
Keywords
gamma radiation; micronucleus; oestrogen; radiosensitivity; testosterone
Hrčak ID:
170511
URI
Publication date:
14.12.2016.
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