Abstract
To evaluate the biological effects of neutrons with low energy spectrum, human Go-lymphocytes were irradiated with monoenergetic neutrons with 0.186 to 2.3MeV . We useed two biomarkers for radiation quality namely complex chromosome aberrations(CCA) as insertions and chromatid aberrations as a marker for genetic instability. Metaphase chromosomes were painted by FISH using chromosomes 1,2 and 4. Neutrons of 2.3, 1.0, 0.79, 0.57 0.37 and 0.186 MeV were generated and ganmma rays were used for comparison. The RBE was changed by energy spectrum and reached to 16.4 at 0.37MeV. Ratio of incidences of trans.and dic.chromosomes is influenced by source of radiation, dose rate and exposure dose.Number of chromosomes out of the 3 pairs of chromosomes associated with CCA were compared among neutrons with different energy levels at the exposure doses showing a same biological effects. 0.37MeV neutrons has highest chromatid aberration rate. These results suggest that formation of exchanged type of chromosome aberrations and genetic instability were influenced by neutron energy spctrume. [J Radiat Res 44:401 (2003)]
