Neoplastic and life-span effects of chronic exposure to tritium. II. Rats exposed in utero

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · J. Natl. Cancer Inst., v. 55, no. 5, pp. 1165-1169

OSTI ID:4134016

Cahill, D F; Wright, J F; Godbold, J H; Ward, J M; Laskey, J W; Tompkins, E A

A study was conducted to determine the effects on neoplasia incidence and life-span of exposure in utero to a major environmental radionuclide. Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously exposed to tritiated water (HTO) from conception through birth in doses of 0, 1, 10, 50, and 100 $mu$Ci HTO/ml body water. HTO administration was terminated at birth. Calculated cumulative doses during gestation were approximately 0, 6.6, 66, 330, and 660 rads of total body irradiation. Under these exposure conditions, the two highest doses resulted in sterile offspring. Animals surviving through 30 days postnatally were defined as the study population and observed until their deaths. Intrauterine exposures to doses up to 66 rads had no significant effects on either sex with respect to lifespan, overall neoplasia incidence, incidence rate, or onset of mammary fibroadenomas. Females exposed to 330 or 660 rads were sterile and had lower incidence rates of mammary fibroadenomas than did controls; at 660 rads females had a lower incidence of overall neoplasia and reduced mean lifespans. Sterile male offspring had reduced mean longevity after irradiation at 660 rads. Regardless of dose group, females had significantly higher incidences of neoplasia and longer life-spans than males. (auth)

• Research Organization: National Environmental Research Center, Research Triangle Park, NC
• NSA Number: NSA-33-009556
• OSTI ID: 4134016
• Journal Information: J. Natl. Cancer Inst., v. 55, no. 5, pp. 1165-1169, Journal Name: J. Natl. Cancer Inst., v. 55, no. 5, pp. 1165-1169; ISSN JNCIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*FETUSES-- CHRONIC IRRADIATION
*LIFE SPAN-- BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
*NEOPLASMS-- RADIOINDUCTION
*STERILITY-- RADIOINDUCTION
560152* --Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies--Radiation Effects--Radiation Effects on Animals--Vertebrates
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
HEAVY WATER
INTERNAL IRRADIATION
N48520* --Life Sciences--Radiation Effects on Animals-- Vertebrates
PRENATAL IRRADIATION
RATS
SEX
SURVIVAL TIME
TRITIUM
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
WATER
WHOLE-BODY IRRADIATION