Incidence and nature of tumors induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by gamma-irradiation

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Cancer Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6992220

Gross, L; Dreyfuss, Y; Faraggiana, T

In our previous studies carried out on inbred rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain, the tumor incidence was increased following irradiation (150 rads, 5 times, at weekly intervals), from 22 to 93% in females and from 5 to 59% in males. Experiments here reported suggest that 2 consecutive total-body gamma-irradiations of 150 rads each are sufficient to induce in rats the development of tumors, some malignant; 18 of 19 females (94.7%) developed tumors at an average age of 11.4 mo, and seven of the 14 males in this group (50%) developed tumors at an average age of 10.4 mo. In the second group, which received 3 consecutive gamma-irradiations, 20 of 23 females (86.9%) and 5 of 13 males (38.4%) developed tumors at average ages of 9.1 and 7.5 mo, respectively. In the third group, among rats which received 4 consecutive gamma-irradiations, 17 of 19 females (89.4%) and 4 of 12 males (33.3%) developed tumors at average ages of 9.4 and 10.5 mo, respectively. The etiology of tumors either developing spontaneously or induced by irradiation in rats remains to be clarified. Our attempts to detect virus particles by electron microscopy in such tumors or lymphomas have not been successful. As a working hypothesis, we are tempted to theorize that tumors or lymphomas developing spontaneously or induced by gamma irradiation in rats are caused by latent viral agents which are integrated into the cell genome and are cell associated, i.e., not separable from the rat tumor cells by conventional methods thus far used.

• Research Organization: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, NY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6992220
• Journal Information: Cancer Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Res.; (United States) Vol. 48:9; ISSN CNREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
DISEASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXPERIMENTAL NEOPLASMS
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
FRACTIONATED IRRADIATION
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
LYMPHOMAS
MAMMALS
MICROORGANISMS
NEOPLASMS
PARASITES
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RATS
RODENTS
SEX DEPENDENCE
VERTEBRATES
VIRUSES
WHOLE-BODY IRRADIATION