Effect of vitamin E on chromosomal damage in bone marrow cells of mice having received low dose of X-ray irradiation.

When mice had received various doses (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 Gy) of X-ray to their whole bodies, the increased % of reticulocytes with micronucleus (MNs) in peripheral blood, an indicator of chromosomal damage in bone marrow cells, was the highest at 44 hr after the irradiation. At the time, the dose-dependent increase of the % was clearly observed. Using this method, the protective effect of vitamin E on X-ray-induced chromosomal damage was examined. Mice were given various doses (0, 75, 300 mg/kg body weight) of vitamin E by intragastric gavage for 4 days, or fed either a basal vitamin E diet (3 mg % of vitamin E) or a high vitamin E diet (100 mg % of vitamin E) for 5 weeks. Then, the mice were given whole body X-ray irradiation at the dose of 0.3 or 0.4 Gy. Vitamin E concentration in bone marrow cells was significantly elevated by the vitamin E treatment, but was not decreased after irradiation. The vitamin E treatment was unable to inhibit the % of reticulocytes with MNs induced by the irradiation. These results indicate that vitamin E in the bone marrow could not significantly prevent chromosomal damage in bone marrow cells against a low dose of X-ray irradiation.