Chromosome aberrations, mitogen-induced blastogenesis and proliferative rate index in peripheral lymphocytes from 106 control individuals of the U.K. population.

Blood samples were taken from 106 individuals (73 males and 33 females) and examined for chromosome aberrations, mitogen-induced blastogenesis and proliferative rate index (PRI). The values obtained were investigated in relation to sex, age, smoking, alcohol consumption and X-ray exposure. In all the parameters, there was shown to be a difference between the mean values for the males and females. The incidence of chromosome aberrations was greater in females than in the males, whereas the mean values of PRI and mitogen-induced blastogenesis were lower in females than in the males. A sex difference has been reported previously in the same population, in that the females were shown to have a higher rate of sister-chromatid exchanges than the males (Anderson et al., 1986; Dewdney et al., 1986). Contraceptive pill usage was not considered to be of importance in the sex difference seen and there was shown to be no significant influence due to age, smoking or alcohol consumption on any of the parameters except that smoking reduced lymphocyte PRI. Males with previous X-ray exposure also showed a lower response to mitogen-induced blastogenesis and had a reduced PRI.