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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH
Published on: August 19, 2014
High- and low-LET induced chromosome damage in human lymphocytes: a time-course of aberrations in metaphase and
1NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Radiation Biophysics Laboratory, Houston, TX 77058, USA. kerry.a.georgel@jsc.nasa.gov
Purpose:
To investigate how cell-cycle delays in human peripheral lymphocytes affect the expression of complex chromosome damage in metaphase following high- and low-LET radiation exposure.
Materials And Methods:
Whole blood was irradiated in vitro with a low and a high dose of 1 GeV u(-1) iron particles, 400MeV u(-1) neon particles or y-rays. Lymphocytes were cultured and metaphase cells were collected at different time points after 48-84h in culture. Interphase chromosomes were prematurely condensed using calyculin-A, either 48 or 72 h after exposure to iron particles or gamma-rays. Cells in first division were analysed using a combination of FISH whole-chromosome painting and DAPI/ Hoechst 33258 harlequin staining.
Results:
There was a delay in expression of chromosome damage in metaphase that was LET- and dose-dependant. This delay was mostly related to the late emergence of complex-type damage into metaphase. Yields of damage in PCC collected 48 h after irradiation with iron particles were similar to values obtained from cells undergoing mitosis after prolonged incubation.
Conclusion:
The yield of high-LET radiation-induced complex chromosome damage could be underestimated when analysing metaphase cells collected at one time point after irradiation. Chemically induced PCC is a more accurate technique since problems with complicated cell-cycle delays are avoided.
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