Chromosome Inter- and Intrachanges Detected by Arm-Specific DNA Probes in the Progeny of Human Lymphocytes Exposed to Energetic Heavy Ions

Abstract Pignalosa, D., Bertucci, A., Gialanella, G., Grossi, G., Manti, L., Pugliese, M., Scampoli, P. and Durante, M. Chromosome Inter- and Intrachanges Detected by Arm-Specific DNA Probes in the Progeny of Human Lymphocytes Exposed to Energetic Heavy Ions. Radiat. Res. 170, 458–466 (2008). We measured residual cytogenetic damage in the progeny of human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to 1 GeV/ nucleon iron ions or γ rays. Arm-specific DNA probes for chromosome 1 were used to detect aberrations as a function of dose in cells harvested 144 h after exposure. In addition, arm-specific mFISH was applied to samples exposed to a single dose of 2 Gy. These methods allowed the detection of interarm intrachanges (pericentric inversions) in addition to interchanges. The ratio of these types of aberrations (F ratio) has been proposed as a fingerprint of exposure to densely ionizing radiation. The fractions of aberrant cells in the progeny of cells exposed to iron ions were similar to those in the population e...