Effects of low-dose gamma and neutron radiation on genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of reticulocytes in a mouse model

Using a successful new automation of micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) scoring, the effects of low-dose (< 1.0 Gy) gamma and neutron radiation on genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of reticulocytes (RET) in a mouse model were investigated. Gamma and neutron irradiation induced significant (p<0.001) increases in the levels of %MN-RET and decreases in the levels of %RET (p<0.001) as the dose level increased. Increasing dose levels showed that gamma radiation induced significantly (p<0.05) more %MN-RET and more %RET than neutron radiation. The results suggest that neutron irradiation may be more cytotoxic (less %RET) than gamma irradiation; however, gamma irradiation may be producing cells with more chromosomal aberrations (more %MN-RET) than neutron irradiation.