Dwarfism Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dwarfism, including details on genetics, diet, mental and motor development.

Minimal ionizing radiation sensitivity in a large cohort of xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblasts.

Arlett CF, Green MH, Rogers PB, Lehmann AR, Plowman PN

Genome Damage and Stability Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RQ. colin-a@solutions-inc.co.uk

We have examined our ionizing radiation survival data for 33 xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) primary fibroblast lines and compared the data to that of 53 normal fibroblast lines, 7 Cockayne syndrome (CS) lines, 4 combined XP/CS lines and 8 ataxia-telangiectasia fibroblast lines. Although there are differences in radiosensitivity between cell lines within each class, we have no convincing evidence that XP lines as a group are more sensitive to ionizing radiation than the general population. However, because the XP phenotype may lead to premature ageing, especially of sun-exposed tissues, we would still advocate caution when XP patients come to radiotherapy. Our results confirm the extreme ionizing radiation hypersensitivity of ataxia-telangiectasia; they are also consistent with a tendency for slight hypersensitivity in CS, but not (necessarily) in combined XP/CS.

Published 14 December 2007 in Br J Radiol, 81(961): 51-8.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Dwarfism Research Today. All Rights Reserved.