Radioautographic measurement of electron-induced epidermal kinetic effects in different aged rats

We have previously shown that the ability of rat epidermal cells to repair electron-induced DNA damage decreases as a function of age. The present investigation was performed to examine the relationship between this finding and sensitivity of epidermal cells to the cytotoxic effects of the radiation. Male CD rats at ages 2, 28, 100, 200, 420, and 728 days were injected with [3H]-thymidine [( 3H]Thd) at a dose of 2 mu Ci/g body weight. One hour later, the rats were anesthetized and the dorsal skin irradiated with various doses of 0.8 meV electrons at a dose rate of 660 rads/min. At 24 h after irradiation, radioautographs were made of a sheet of epidermis that was separated by trypsinization from the underlying dermis. Labeled cells were scored either as singlets or doublets (adjacent labeled cells). The percent labeled cells and percent labeled cells as doublets were determined. The estimated labeling index (the proportion of cells labeled by a single exposure to [3H]Thd) of the epidermal basal layer decreased as a function of age. The slope of the semilog plot of the percent labeled cells as doublets as a function of electron dose indicates that the Do value decreases with increasing age. The results show, however, that the greatest difference in sensitivity occurs between 2-day (neonatal) and 28-day (pubescent) animals and again between 420-day (adult) and 728-day (senescent) animals.