Radiation-induced Chromosome Aberrations Analysed by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization with a Triple Combination of Composite Whole Chromosome-specific DNA Probes

Abstract

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a combination of three composite whole chromosome-specific DNA probes for human chromosomes 1, 4 and 12 was used to analyse in vitro radiation-induced dicentrics and symmetrical translocations in peripheral lymphocytes. Translocations could be rapidly and efficiently detected by FISH. Their frequencies were 1·8-fold higher than the frequencies for dicentrics at a given dose. The dose-response curves for translocations and dicentrics were linear quadratic with a significant higher quadratic component for translocations. The application of FISH for scoring stable translocations for biological dosimetry of radiation exposures is discussed.