Translocation yield from the mouse spermatogonial stem cell following fractionated X-ray treatments: influence of unequal fraction size and of increasing fractionation interval

(1) The genetic response of the mouse spermatogonial stem cell to a high dose of X-rays given in two unequal fractions 24 h apart can be dependent upon the order in which the two fractions are given. When 1000 R was administered as 100 R followed by 900 R the recovered translocation yield (22%) was similar to that which can be obtained by extrapolation from lower doses and also to that of a 500 + 500 R 24 h fractionation. By contrast, when the 900 R preceded the 100 R the response was much lower (7.4%), yet still greater than that produced by a single 1000 R treatment (4.5%). The same order of effectiveness was observed for length of sterile period. (2) The sub-additive translocation yields previously obtained with 800 R treatments given in fractions of 500 R and 300 R at intervals of 3-12 days were found to be maintained with intervals up to at least 15 days but additivity was regained by the end of the third week. Sterile period data indicated that with these intervals the germinal epithelium had recovered sufficiently from the first fraction for spermatogenesis to restart before the second fraction was given. (3) It is concluded from the two experiments that (a) 24 h after a radiation exposure the surviving stem cells are more sensitive than formerly both to killing and genetic damage, (b) at this time they are no longer heterogeneous in their radiosensitivities, so that increasing yields of genetic damage may be obtained with increasing dose i.e. there is no fall in yield at higher doses, (c) the change in sensitivity could be a consequence of a synchronization to a sensitive stage in a cell cycle, or to a transitional phase preparatory to entering a different cell cycle. (d) to achieve rapid repopulation of the germinal epithelium the surviving stem cells are stimulated to enter a shorter cell cycle and this is the cause of the sub-additive translocation yields with fractionation intervals of 3-15 days, (e) the recommencement of spermatogenesis is associated with the reestablishment of the heterogeneity in radiosensitivity among the stem cells. At this time additive translocation yields can again be recovered.     

Studies on storage effects and the negative synergism between trenimon and X-rays in Drosophila

The experiments reported in this paper were designed to answer some questions relating to the augmenting effect of storage of sperm in the inseminated female, on the frequency of translocations in spermatozoa treated with the trifunctional alkylating agent trenimon. To see whether, upon storage, more chromosome breaks become available for interaction, sperm cells that had been treated with trenimon in the male were exposed to X-irradiation before or after 6 days storage in the female. The data of the first experiment indicated that in unstored sperm the translocation yield after treatment with both trenimon and X-rays, was lower than that expected on the basis of additivity of yields of the single treatments. The negative synergism between trenimon and X-irradiation has been confirmed in further experiments with both translocations and dominant lethals. The latter finding does not support an interpretation in terms of selective elimination of translocationsby cell death. Following storage, the translocation frequencies increase and after combination of trenimon and X-rays, yields corresponding to additivity of frequencies with single treatments are observed.To study whether changes in the maternal repair system contribute to the storage effect, trenimon-treated males were mated with aged females and the frequencies of translocations were determined. It was found that these frequencies were similar to those in young (unstored) females; this result suggests that the possibility raised above is unlikely.     

Differential spermatogonial stem-cell survival and mutation frequency

One group of adult C3H×101 hybrid male mice was given 3 injections of 12.5 μCi of [³H]thymidine at 9-h intervals and irradiated 24 h after the last injection with X-ray doses of 100, 300, 500, 600, 1000 R or the first fraction of a split 1000-R dose given as two 500-R exposures 24 h apart. Mice were killed 207 and 414 h after irradiation. A second group of mice was given a single injection of 12.5 μCi of [³H]thymidine 1 h before irradiation with single exposures of 300, 500, 600, 1000 R, or the first fraction of a 1000-R exposure given as two 500-R fractions 24 h apart. Mice were killed 120 and 207 h after irradiation. In both experiments, parallel groups of mice were given X-ray only as a control for the effect of [³H]thymidine. Two sets of slides were prepared for each mouse receiving [³H]thymidine: one set was not autoradiographed and was used for scoring cell survival; the second set was coated with emulsion and used for scoring percentage of labeled cells. The dose-response curves for survival at 120 and 207 h were curvilinear, with no evidence of discontinuity over the 100–1000-R range. After multiple injections of [³H]thymidine and irradiation 24 h later, percentage of labeled cells at 207 h was comparable for controls, 100, 300, and 600 R; significantly lower than controls for 1000 R; and significantly above controls after 500 + 500 R. Thus the surviving stem-cell population was qualitatively the same for that portion of the dose-response curve giving a linear increase in mutation rate but was different for both 1000-R and 500 + 500-R exposures, and the single and fractionated 1000-R exposures differed from each other. This parallelism between survival of labeled cells and mutation frequency in spermatogonial stem cells suggests that a stage in the cell cycle 24–42 h after DNA synthesis is resistant to cell killing but sensitive to mutation induction. The mutation rate after a single 1000-R exposure is low because labeled, mutation-sensitive cells have been selectively killed. Mutation frequency after the 500 + 500-R dose is increased because of synchronization induced by the first dose combined with selective killing of unlabeled cells by the second fraction. Irradiation 1 h after labeling with [³H]-thymidine demonstrated that the S phase of the spermatogonial stem-cell cycle is sensitive to radiation-induced cell killing.     

Induction of specific locus mutations in mouse spermatogonial stem cells by combined chemical X-ray treatments

Data that demonstrate how the biology of spermatogenesis plays an important role in determining the yield of genetic damage from ionizing radiation are briefly reviewed. It is suggested that for valid extrapolations of data from mouse mutation experiments to man detailed knowledge of the spermatogonial stem cell systems in the two species is required. Two new sets of mouse specific mutation data are presented. (1) When a 2 mg/kg dose of triethylenemelamine (TEM) was used as a conditioning dose and followed 24 h later by 6 Gy X-rays, the mutation yield from spermatogonial stem cells was over twice as high (30.20 X 10(-5)/locus/gamete) as that when the X-ray dose was given alone (13.75 X 10(-5)/locus/gamete). No such effect was found when the TEM was given only 3 h prior to the X-irradiation. Since TEM at the dose used is inefficient at inducing specific-locus mutations, an augmentation of the X-ray response is indicated. It has therefore been concluded that the augmented mutation responses obtained with equal 24 h X-ray fractionations at high doses are attributable to mutation induction by the second dose. The responsive cells would be the formerly resistant component of the stem cell population that had survived the TEM treatment and that had been 'triggered' into a radiosensitive phase by the population depletion. (2) When 2 doses of 500 mg/kg hydroxyurea (HU) were given 3 h apart 3 h prior to 6 Gy X-rays to reduce the numbers of stem cells in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle exposed to the radiation, the mutation responses was greatly enhanced to a level that is the highest yet recorded per unit X-ray dose (7.10 X 10(-5)/locus/gamete/Gy). No such effect was obtained when the intervals between the HU and X-ray treatments were either shorter (less than 0.5 h) or longer (24 h). It was concluded that X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations derive principally from stem cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The reasons why the X-ray-induced mutation-yields from repopulating stem cells (with a short cell cycle and, hence, short G1 phase) are similar to those from undamaged stem cell populations, in contrast to translocation yields, therefore remains unresolved.     

Differential effects of low- and high-dose X-rays on N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mutagenesis in thymocytes of B6C3F1 gpt-delta mice

Carcinogenesis in humans is thought to result from exposure to numerous environmental factors. Little is known, however, about how these different factors work in combination to cause cancer. Because thymic lymphoma is a good model of research for combined exposure, we examined the occurrence of mutations in thymic DNA following exposure of B6C3F1 gpt-delta mice to both ionizing radiation and N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Mice were exposed weekly to whole body X-irradiation (0.2 or 1.0 Gy), ENU (200 ppm) in the drinking water, or X-irradiation followed by ENU treatment. Thereafter, genomic DNA was prepared from the thymus and the number and types of mutations in the reporter transgene gpt was determined. ENU exposure alone increased mutant frequency by 10-fold compared to untreated controls and over 80% of mutants had expanded clonally. X-irradiation alone, at either low or high dose, unexpectedly, reduced mutant frequency. Combined exposure to 0.2 Gy X-rays with ENU dramatically decreased mutant frequency, specifically G:C to A:T and A:T to T:A mutations, compared to ENU treatment alone. In contrast, 1.0 Gy X-rays enhanced mutant frequency by about 30-fold and appeared to accelerate clonal expansion of mutated cells. In conclusion, repeated irradiation with 0.2 Gy X-rays not only reduced background mutation levels, but also suppressed ENU-induced mutations and clonal expansion. In contrast, 1.0 Gy irradiation in combination with ENU accelerated clonal expansion of mutated cells. These results indicate that the mode of the combined mutagenic effect is dose dependent.     

Comparison of two stocks of mice in spermatogonial response to different conditions of radiation exposure

In a previous report (Generoso et al., 1985) it was shown that the two hybrid stocks of mice, (C3H/R1 x 101/R1)F1 and (SEC/R1 x C57BL/6)F1, differed in their responses to induction of chromosomal aberrations following exposure of the stem-cell spermatogonia to 500 R x 4 (4-week intervals) acute X-rays. The levels of response in the two stocks were paralleled by the effects on the length of the sterile period, which presumably results from stem-cell killing and repopulation. The present study was conducted in order to determine whether the differences between the two stocks in these parameters hold true also for other conditions of radiation exposure. Thus, comparative experiments were conducted using the following acute exposure regimens: 500 R single dose, 500 R + 500 R (24-h interval), 100 R + 900 R (24-h interval), and 500 R x 4 (8-week intervals). The endpoints measured were chromosome rearrangements in diakinesis/metaphase-I meiocytes, embryonic lethality in conceptuses, length of sterile period and testis weight. Trend analysis indicated that higher frequencies of chromosome rearrangements and embryonic lethality were recovered from (C3H/R1 x 101/R1)F1 than from (SEC/R1 x C57BL/6)F1 males, that there were no significant differences between stocks in testis weight reductions, and that there was no consistency in the direction of the significant differences that occurred in the length of the sterile period. A definitive conclusion regarding the possible association between induction of chromosomal aberrations and induction of cell killing awaits direct histological analysis of the stem-cell population.     

The effect of ethyl-, methyl- and hydroxyethyl-nitrosourea on the mouse testis

Hybrid male 101 X C3HF1 mice were given intraperitoneal injections of methyl-, ethyl- and hydroxyethyl-nitrosourea and killed 3-16 days later. All compounds were similar in that all differentiating spermatogonia from type A1 to early type B were killed by 50 mg/kg and higher doses of ENU and by 75 mg/kg MNU. Cells exposed in leptotene to 100 and 250 mg/kg ENU and 455 mg/kg HENU showed a delayed response with degeneration in pachytene 5 days later. Labeling prior to exposure to ENU indicated that the effect of stage of the mitotic cycle on sensitivity to cell killing is less marked than for radiation. This may be the explanation for the s-shaped mutation induction curve obtained with ENU in contrast to the humped dose-response curve observed for radiation.     

X-ray- and chemically induced germ-line mutation causing phenotypical anomalies in mice

A large and significant increase of phenotypical anomalies was observed in the progeny of ICR parent mice treated before mating with X-rays, urethane, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, ethylnitrosourea (ENU), and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, but the increase was not significant with furylfuramide. Major types of induced anomalies were cleft palate, dwarf, open eyelid, tail anomalies, and exencephalus. Dwarf, open eyelid and tail anomalies were predominant types of viable anomalies and were inherited as if they were dominant mutations with varying expressivity or penetrance. Incidence of prenatal anomalies increased with treated doses of X-rays, urethan, or ENU for both spermatozoa and spermatogonia. Spermatogonia were less sensitive to X-rays and urethane than spermatozoa, while ENU induced a very high incidence of prenatal anomalies by the spermatogonial treatment. In contrast to the previous works with X-rays, there was a clear, almost linear increase of anomalies in the dose range from 0 to 216 rad after spermatogonial exposure. For treatment of oocytes, there was also a clear increase with doses of X-rays and urethane. Doubling doses of X-rays for prenatal anomalies were 12 rad for spermatozoa, 27 rad for spermatogonia, and 19 rad for mature oocytes. These values are similar to those for ordinary mouse mutations. However, the mean rate of prenatal anomalies per rad (1.2 X 10(-4), 6.6 X 10(-5) and 9.1 X 10(-5) for spermatozoa, spermatogonia and mature oocytes, respectively) and that for 1 micrograms/g of ENU (3.4 X 10(-4) for spermatogonia) were 4-40 times higher than that of ordinary mutation in mice, because overall phenotypical abnormalities were scored in this study. Information obtained from the work on phenotypical anomalies is valuable to assess genetic risk of radiation and chemicals, because a majority of human genetic diseases show this kind of irregular and uncertain inheritance and most of the induced anomalies are similar to those found in humans.     

Cell sensitivity to transplacental mutagenesis by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea is greatest during early gestation in the Syrian hamster.

The extremely high rate of cell division that occurs during early embryogenesis is hypothesized to predispose to high rates of mutation after chemical exposure. We tested this supposition experimentally. To probe the variation in susceptibility to mutation induction as a function of gestation stage, somatic cells of the developing Syrian hamster were isolated after transplacental treatment with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Mutants were quantified using either 6-thioguanine (6-TG) or diphtheria toxin (DT) as selective agents. Several different approaches were used. In one, three litters were exposed on each gestation day and fetuses were removed on day 13. Maximum fetal sensitivity to ENU's genotoxic action was noted when treatment was at days 8 and 9, fewer mutants being obtained with earlier and later exposures. To compensate for the low numbers of target cells early in gestation, this experiment was repeated using larger numbers of litters exposed at the earlier time points, and the highest mutation frequency was now found to occur after treatment on gestation days 6 and 7. In the second approach, mutations were quantified in cells harvested 24 h after transplacental ENU exposure. Here again, embryos exposed at earlier times of gestation were more susceptible than those treated at later periods. Based on the total cell numbers in embryos and fetuses at each gestation day, we conclude that mutation frequency is maximal on day 6, corresponding to the primitive streak stage with extremely high rates of cell division.     

Specific-locus mutation response to unequal, 1 + 9 Gy X-ray fractionations at 24-h and 4-day fraction intervals

The specific-locus mutation frequency obtained from mouse spermatogonial stem cells following unequal, 1 + 9 Gy X-ray fractionation with a 24-h fractionation interval is low, and consistent with the two fractions acting additively. The response is therefore markedly different from the augmented mutation frequencies obtained with 500 + 500 R and 100 + 500 R, 24-h fractionations. The lower yield compared with the 100 + 500 R response also indicates a clear difference from the translocation data which demonstrate increases in yield with increasing second dose over the same dose range. The decline in specific locus mutation yield with the increase in the second dose from 500 R to 9 Gy suggests that the stem cells surviving the first fraction are heterogeneous in their sensitivities to this class of genetic damage. A similar, additive specific locus mutation frequency is obtained with unequal, 1 + 9 Gy X-irradiation when the interval between fractions is 4 days. This is consistent with 500 + 500 R, 4-day and 7-day interval responses obtained previously but again differs from the sub-additive translocation responses obtained with such X-ray fractionation. Taken together with the data from previous studies the present results suggest that (1) 24 h after the first fraction, (a) the surviving stem cell have two components; survivors of the formerly radiosensitive, cycling component of the normal stem cell population and the formerly radioresistant, G0 or arrested G1 cells, which are being 'triggered' into a rapid cell cycle to achieve repopulation of the testis; (b) these two components are of near-equal sensitivity to translocation induction and cell killing, hence the additive translocation yields with equal X-ray fractionations and yields consistent with those extrapolated from lower doses with higher, unequal fractionations, e.g. 1 + 7 Gy, 1 + 9 Gy; but (c) the formerly radioresistant, triggered component is much more sensitive than the surviving cycling component to specific locus mutation and cell killing, hence the augmented mutation response with 500 + 500 R fractionation and the drop in yield with 1 + 9 Gy compared with 100 + 500 R X-irradiation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Studies of non-disjunction of the major autosomes in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Effects of dose-fractionation, low radiation doses, EMS, and ageing.

To test whether the induction of two-hit events plays a role in the induction of disomic gametes by exposure to X-rays of the oocytes of females carrying compound second chromosomes, exposures of 1000 R, 2000 R or 3000 R were given as an acute dose or as two equal fractions separated by a 3-h interval. The dose-effect relationship for acute exposure is linear over this exposure range (1000–3000 R) and the yields obtained are remarkebly similar to those recorded in an earlier study by Clark and Sobels. At 3000 R a significant reduction in yield was observed after exposure fractionation. At exposure levels of 2000 and 1000 R, however exposure fractionation tends to enhance the yield od disomics.The dose-effect relationship study was then extended to 125, 250 and 500 R. After an exposure of 125 R the induced frequency of disomics was significantly higher than control, but not different from the frequencies induced by 250, 500 and 1000 R. There is no obvious explanation for this plateau which, together with the linear increase from 1000–3000 R, provide an indication that there may be several mechanisms involved in the induction of disomic gemetes.Treatment with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and ageing of the females for a week did not affect the yield of disomic progeny.     

X-ray-induced translocations in spermatoginia II. Fractionation responses in mice

The dose-response curve for reciprocal translocations induced by X-rays in spermatognial stem cells, and observed in primary spermatocytes of mice, is “hymp-shaped”, with a maximum yield at about 600 R. To test the hypothesis that the decrease in yield with increasing dose above 600 R is a consequence of the different sensitivities of cells in different stages of the cell cycle to both cell killing and chromosome aberration induction, several fractionation experiments were carried out.A total dose of 2800 R was given in repeated doses of 400 R, separated by 8-week intervals. The yield of translocations is that expected for additivity; for example, the yield at 1600 R is approximately equal to that for four separate 400-R doses.When the total dose (500 R) which gives a translocation yield on the ascending part of the dose-response curve is given as two equal fractions separated by intervals of 30, 90, or 150 min, the translocation yield decreases with increasing interval. However, when a total dose (1000 R) which would give a translocation yield on the descending part of the dose-response curve is given in two equal fractions separated by intervals of from 30 min to 6 weeks, the response is different; the translocation yield increases with intervals up to 18 h, then decreases with intervals up to 4 weeks, and finally increases again to a yield equal to additivity with an interval of 6 weeks. These changes in translocation yield with changes in interval between the two doses are explained in terms of the differential sensitivity of cells to killing and aberration induction in the different phases of the cell cycle, and by assuming that the cells surviving the first dose and repopulating the testis different cycle characteristics from normal cells.     

Confluent holding leads to a transient enhancement in mutagenesis in UV-light-irradiated xeroderma pigmentosum, Gardner's syndrome and normal human diploid fibroblasts

The influence of confluent holding periods of 0-24 h of UV-light-induced mutagenesis has been investigated in several human cell strains including xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA), Gardner's syndrome (GS) and normal human diploid fibroblasts (NHDF). These cells strains were chosen for the variety of their responses in cytotoxicity experiments. Confluent cultures of NHDF exposed to UV light exhibited a time-dependent increase in survival when subculture was delayed up to 24 h after irradiation. GS and XPA fibroblasts showed no such increase. In dose-response experiments, GS cells from 3 kindreds were moderately hypersensitive to cell killing by UV light whereas XPA cells were strongly hypersensitive. Confluent cultures of GS cells were slightly and XPA markedly hypermutable to 6-thioguanine resistance (6-TGR) when the cells were subcultured immediately after UV exposure. When allowed confluent holding periods of 1.5-24 h, GS, XPA and NHDF all exhibited a transient enhancement of mutagenesis such that a 5-10-fold increase in mutation frequency was observed in cells subcultured at 6-9 h after irradiation as compared to cells subcultured at 3-6 h. A decline in mutation frequency prior to the mutagenesis peak was observed in GS and normal cells but not in XPA. After 24 h of confluent holding, the mutation frequency in irradiated GS and NHDF had returned to near background levels although XPA mutation frequencies remain similar to those observed in immediately subcultured cells. A model to explain these overall results is discussed.     

Factors affecting the quantitation of dose-response curves for mutation induction in V79 Chinese hamster cells after exposure to chemical and physical mutagens.

Using four common mutagens, ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), methyl methanesulphonate (mms), uv, and X-irradiation, the relationship between dose of mutagen, cellular lethality and frequency of 8-azaguanine resistant colonies in V79 Chinese hamster cells has been examined. Several factors affecting the recovery of mutants including inter and intra-clone metabolic co-operation have been quantitated and their influence on survival response curves examined. Induced mutant frequencies were assayed by two methods in situ, and after replating. After exposure to X-rays, MMS and UV a significantly higher frequency of mutants was observed in replated experiments as compared with the in situ situation, at all survival levels assayed. With EMS, an increment on replating was observed only at high survival levels. The replating data suggest that two types of azgr colonies are produced, i.e. those which contain only azgr cells and those which, due to damage segregation, contain a mixture of azgr and azg8 cells. These mixed colonies appear to be lost by metabolic co-operation when mutation frequencies are assayed in silu. The proportion of mixed to homogeneous colonies differs with different mutagens. Taking into account such factors, EMS and UV irradiation were similarly mutagenic at a given survival level, but at equitoxic doses, fewer mutants were recovered after exposure of V79 cells to MMS and X-rays.     

Inducible DNA-repair systems in yeast: competition for lesions

DNA lesions may be recognized and repaired by more than one DNA-repair process. If two repair systems with different error frequencies have overlapping lesion specificity and one or both is inducible, the resulting variable competition for the lesions can change the biological consequences of these lesions. This concept was demonstrated by observing mutation in yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) exposed to combinations of mutagens under conditions which influenced the induction of error-free recombinational repair or error-prone repair. Total mutation frequency was reduced in a manner proportional to the dose of 60Co-gamma- or 254 nm UV radiation delivered prior to or subsequent to an MNNG exposure. Suppression was greater per unit radiation dose in cells gamma-irradiated in O2 as compared to N2. A rad3 (excision-repair) mutant gave results similar to wild-type but mutation in a rad52 (rec-) mutant exposed to MNNG was not suppressed by radiation. Protein-synthesis inhibition with heat shock or cycloheximide indicated that it was the mutation due to MNNG and not that due to radiation which had changed. These results indicate that MNNG lesions are recognized by both the recombinational repair system and the inducible error-prone system, but that gamma-radiation induction of error-free recombinational repair resulted in increased competition for the lesions, thereby reducing mutation. Similarly, gamma-radiation exposure resulted in a radiation dose-dependent reduction in mutation due to MNU, EMS, ENU and 8-MOP + UVA, but no reduction in mutation due to MMS. These results suggest that the number of mutational MMS lesions recognizable by the recombinational repair system must be very small relative to those produced by the other agents. MNNG induction of the inducible error-prone systems however, did not alter mutation frequencies due to ENU or MMS exposure but, in contrast to radiation, increased the mutagenic effectiveness of EMS. These experiments demonstrate that in this lower eukaryote, mutagen exposure does not necessarily result in a fixed risk of mutation, but that the risk can be markedly influenced by a variety of external stimuli including heat shock or exposure to other mutagens.     

Risk to preimplantation mouse embryos of combinations of heavy metals and radiation

The influence of arsenic, cadmium, lead or mercury on radiation risk to preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro was studied under various conditions. Morphological development, cell proliferation, and formation of micronuclei were used for assessment of risk after combined exposure to these metals and X-rays. No conditions were found under which arsenic altered radiation risk; the effects were merely additive. Cadmium acted similarly, though a few results indicated that morphological development might be impaired more strongly after combined exposure than expected from the addition of the single effects. Lead enhanced radiation risk with regard to micronucleus formation, but had an additive effect only in the case of morphological development and cell proliferation. Of all four metals, mercury had the greatest potential for enhancement of radiation risk, when morphological development and cell proliferation were studied. The observed combination effects exceeded even those effects which were calculated by taking into account the shape of the dose-effect curves (isobologram analysis, envelope of additivity). Mercury neither induced micronuclei nor enhanced their formation in combination experiments.     

Serial analysis of chromosomal aberrations and proliferation kinetics of mouse spermatogonia after single or fractionated X-ray exposures

Dose-fractionation studies on translocation induction in stem-cell spermatogonia of mice, as measured by spermatocyte analysis many cell generations after irradiation, revealed that a small conditioning dose of X-rays sensitizes the stem cells to the induction of translocations by a second dose 24 h later (Van Buul and Léonard, 1974, 1980). To find out whether such sensitization effects also occur at other spermatogonial stages, a comparison was made of the effects of single (50, 100 and 150 rad) and fractionated (100 + 50 rad, with 24 h in between) doses of X-rays on the induction of chromosomal aberrations in spermatogonia by analysing spermatogonial metaphases shortly after irradiation at multiple sampling times (0–48 h; every 4 h). In addition, the kinetics of spermatogonial proliferation was studied by using, in vivo, a BrdU chromosome-labelling procedure. The recorded frequencies of chromosomal aberrations did not indicate any sensitization effect of dose fractionation. It is concluded that the sensitization effects, as observed for chromosomal aberrations in male premeiotic germ cells, are characteristic for the stem-cell spermatogonia and do not occur in the more differentiated spermatogonia.     

Induction of recessive lethal and specific locus mutations in the zebrafish with ethyl nitrosourea.

Recessive lethal mutations and mutations at the gol-1 locus were induced in the zebrafish by exposure of mature sperm to the alkylating agent ethyl nitrosourea (ENU). Embryonic lethal phenotypes were recognized among the parthenogenetic progeny of mutagenized animals or among the progeny of daughters of mutagenized animals. Novel specific locus mutations were identified by the failure of mutagenized chromosomes to complement pre-existing mutant alleles at the gol-1 locus. Each mutagenized individual harboured approximately 10 embryonic lethal mutations in its germ line and about 1 in 500 mutagenized animals harboured a new mutation at the gol-1 locus. Three lines of evidence indicate that the majority of mutations that were recovered following treatment of mature sperm with ENU were probably point mutations. First, the soma and germ lines of mutagenized animals were mosaic, as expected following simple alkylation of sperm DNA. Second, mutations induced by ENU at the gol-1 locus affected pigmentation but not viability, unlike the majority of mutations induced at this locus with gamma-irradiation. Third, the ratio of specific locus:recessive lethal mutations induced by ENU was approximately 50-fold lower than the ratio observed following mutagenesis with gamma-rays. Comparison of the incidence with which embryonic recessive lethal mutations were induced with the incidence with which specific locus mutations arose indicates that there are greater than 5000 genes essential to the development and viability of the zebrafish embryo.     

DNA adduct formation in mouse testis by ethylating agents: a comparison with germ-cell mutagenesis

DNA adduct formation in various organs of mice was determined after i.p. injection with the ethylating agents N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), and diethyl sulfate (DES). The potency of the 3 chemicals to react either at the O6 position of guanine or at the N-7 position of guanine was related to their potency to induce mutations in the specific-locus assay of the mouse. ENU, which produces relatively high levels of O-alkylations (O6-ethylguanine), is primarily mutagenic in spermatogonia of the mouse, whereas EMS and DES, which produce relatively high levels of N-alkylations (7-ethylguanine) in DNA, are much more mutagenic in post-meiotic stages of male germ cells. The relationship between exposure to ENU and the dose, determined as O6-ethylguanine per nucleotide in testicular DNA, is non-linear. However, the relationship between dose and mutation induction in spermatogonia by ENU appears to be linear, which is expected if O6-ethylguanine is the major mutagenic lesion. The relatively high mutagenic potency of EMS and DES in the late stages of spermatogenesis is probably due to the accumulation of apurinic sites which generate mutations after fertilization. A comparison of mutation induction by ENU in spermatogonia and mutation induction in cultured mammalian cells indicates that about 10 O6-ethylguanine residues were necessary in the coding region of a gene to generate a mutation.     

X-ray induced mutation in Syrian hamster fetal cells

Transabdominal X-rays are a risk factor for childhood leukemia, and X-ray exposure of mouse fetuses has led to increases in both mutations and initiated tumors in offspring. However, fetal sensitivity and dose-response characteristics with regard to transplacental mutagenesis by X-rays have never been quantified. In the current experiment, pregnant Syrian hamsters at day 12 of gestation were irradiated with 300-kV X-rays. Twenty-four hours later, the fetuses were removed and their cells were allowed a 5 day expression time in culture. They were then seeded for colony formation and also for mutation selection by 6-thioguanine (6-TG). Mutation frequency was linear over the entire dose range, 10-600 R. The average induced 6-TG mutant frequency was 4.7 x 10(-7) per R. These results suggest that fetal cells are highly sensitive to induction of mutations by X-rays, and that a no-effect threshold is not likely. The 10 R dose caused a 25-fold increase in mutation frequency over the historical control, 45 x 10(-7) versus 1.8 x 10(-7), an increase per R of 2.5-fold. Increased risk of childhood cancer related to obstetrical transabdominal X-ray has also been estimated at 2.5-fold per R. Thus, our results are consistent with mutation contributing to this effect.