Abstract
We previously found that a significant increase of body weight (BW) in SPF B6C3F1 female mice continuously irradiated with low-dose rate gamma-rays (21 mGy/ 22 h/ day). Here we examined the relationships between the increase of BW and amounts of food intake, drinking waters and feces in irradiated mice kept individually during low-dose rate gamma-irradiation. The following results were obtained; 1) The BW of irradiated mice was significantly heavier than that of non-irradiated mice at 42 weeks of age (33 weeks after the start of continuous irradiation). 2) A strong correlation was observed between the magnitudes of the BW at 42 weeks of age and at 17 to 41 weeks of age. 3) When, based on the BW at 42 weeks of age, irradiated mice (n=18) were divided into heavy (n=9) and light (n=9) weighted mice, BW of the heavy-weighted, irradiated mice was significantly heavier than those of heavy-weighted, non-irradiated mice. 4) No significant relations for the BW-increase in irradiated mice was observed to amounts of food intake and drinking water as well as amount of feces. The amount of feces and a ratio of feces to food intake of irradiated mice were, however, significantly higher than those of non-irradiated mice during 3 to 10 weeks after the start of continuous irradiation. This study was supported by a grant from Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
