J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2003 Jun;46(6):554-560.

Experimental Study for the Teratogenic Effect of Gamma-ray on the Heart of Chick Embryo

• Jo YW
• Kim NS
• Moon SY
• Yum MG
• Kim SH
• Chun HC
• Kim YJ
• Lee H

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the teratogenic effect of gamma-ray on the heart of chick embryo.
METHODS
50 rad, 100 rad, 150 rad, 200 rad, 250 rad, and 300 rad of gamma-ray were used to irradiate three days old chick embryos. The control group was not irradiated. After three weeks, the embryos were sacrificed and examined for cardiovascular malformation.
RESULTS
The survival rate of the gamma-ray irradiated group was significantly lower than that of the control group(33.3-63.3% vs 76.4%, P=0.001). The cardiac malformation rate of the experimental group was 11.0%. In the control group, no congenital cardiac malformations were observed. The experimental groups had a significantly higher malformation rate(P=0.001). The types of malformation were ventricular septal defect, tricuspid atresia, Ebstein anomaly and aortic arch anomaly. In the gamma-ray irradiated group, the cardiac malformations were : 14 small ventricular septal defects (VSDs), five large VSDs, two tricuspid atresias, and one Ebstein anomaly. The higher the dose of radiation applied, the higher the incidence of cardiac malformation was noted.
CONCLUSION
Gamma-ray irradiation of 3 days old chick embryos increased the rate of death and the rate of cardiac malformation significantly.

Keyword

Gamma-ray; Chick embryo; Cardiac malformation

MeSH Terms

Animals
Aorta, Thoracic
Chick Embryo*
Ebstein Anomaly
Embryonic Structures
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular
Heart*
Incidence
Survival Rate
Tricuspid Atresia