Circadian rhythm of sister chromatid exchanges in human chromosomes

Since sister chromatid exchange (SCE) relates directly to DNA synthesis which is circadian periodic, this study examines whether a circadian rhythm also characterizes SCEs. In 4-hourly blood samples collected for 48 hours on three diurnally active, nocturnally resting subjects with no family history of chromosome aberrations or instability, a circadian rhythm is demonstrable with an acrophase occurring around 14:45. The circadian amplitude is only of the order of 10% of the MESOR in untreated cultures or in cultures exposed to cefodizime. It remains more or less unchanged in cultures exposed to mitomycin-C, while the MESOR increases by about a factor of 2. In studies of human chromosome aberrations, the circadian rhythmicity of SCE should be taken into consideration.