[Formation of chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes to the action of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine used separately and in combination with gamma irradiation: changes in the effect in the course of the mitotic cycle].

Human lymphocytes were treated after different times of incubation, either by 60Co gamma-rays (1 Gy) followed by 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR, 2.10-7 M during 2,5 h) or by radiation and FUdR, separately. Chromosomal aberrations were studied after 51 h of incubation. When administered alone, FUdR increased the frequency of chromatid aberrations and gaps over the spontaneous level. This increase took place mainly during two periods of the mitotic cycle, namely, on the borderline between G1 and S stages and at the end of the G2 stage. FudR barely affected the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. THe effect did not depend upon the concentration of FUdR. Irradiation during the G1 stage produced chromatid aberrations and gaps with the same frequency as FUdR, whereas the frequency of chromosome aberrations was much higher. When administered after irradiation, FUdR increased the frequency of all types of aberrations; the periods of mitotic cycle when this increase was statistically significant correspond to those of "mutagenic" action of FUdR mentioned above. This pattern may be easily explained if one postulates that in our experiments FUdR exhibited the features of a "pseudomutagen" i.e. the factor which suppresses repair of primary lesions (spontaneous or radiation-induced) without giving rise to new mutational changes.