A Brief Change in Housing Conditions Alters the Survivability of Irradiated C3H/HeN Mice
Abstract
The present experiment examined how 24-hours in different housing conditions could effect the longevity of male and female C3H/HeN mice exposed to 8.0, 8.4, and 8.8 Gy Co60 radiation at a dose rate if 0.40 Gy/minute. Housing conditions had a significant effect on the longevity of mice, as did gender and Gy level. Normal housed male and female mice (i.e., 10 mice per large 15800 cm3 cage) lived longer than did mice housed in isolation (i.e., one mouse per similar cage). Female mice exposed to 8.0 Gy and housed in either a social crowded (i.e., 10 mice per small 1580 cc cage) condition or a social and spatial crowded (i.e., 1 mouse per 158 cc cage - placed side-by-side in a 2x5 matrix) condition lived longer than did either normal or isolated female mice. The housing effect was so pronounced for female mice that 30% of the mice in the social crowded condition and 60% of the mice in the social and spatial crowded condition survived the supra-lethal 8.0 Gy dose. Female mice in the social and spatial condition lived 34% longer than did female mice housed in isolation. Overall, female mice lived 20% +or- 5%) longer than did male mice. Male mice housed in the social-crowded condition lived on the average 23% +or- 7%) longer than male mice housed in isolation. Male mice housed in the spatial crowded condition lived on the average 18% +or- 7%) longer than male mice housed in isolation. Male mice in the 8.0 or 8.4 Gy condition lived an average of 35% longer (+or- 5%) longer than male mice in the 8.8 Gy condition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 04, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA247263
Entities
People
- Daniel L. Collins
- G. A. Mickley
- Stuart G. Cohen
Organizations
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute