Evaluation of spermatogenic response of mice to the induction of mutations by combined treatment with X rays and antineoplastic drugs.

Combined treatment with low doses of X-rays plus cyclophosphamide (0.25 Gy + 25 mg/kg body weight) or X-rays plus mitomycin C (0.25 Gy + 1.75 mg/kg body weight) did not induce significant dominant lethal effects in any stage of spermatogenesis when a parameter representing pre- and postimplantation loss, such as the decrease of live implants per female, was applied. After combined exposure to high dose of X-rays plus cyclophosphamide (1.00 Gy + 100 mg/kg body weight) an increase of dominant lethal mutations (DLMs) was observed in differentiating spermatogonia, spermatids, and spermatozoa with the same parameter. Combined treatment with high doses of X-rays plus mitomycin C (1.00 Gy + 5.25 mg/kg body weight) produced DLMs in differentiating spermatogonia and late spermatocytes. A calculation of "enhanced risk" was applied to the data of DLMs from the combined treatment regimen and was based on the proportion of dead implants (postimplantation loss only). Enhanced risk could be shown not only after high but also after low combined exposure to X-rays plus cyclophosphamide and X-rays plus mitomycin C. With low doses this enhanced risk was observed in spermatids for X-rays plus cyclophosphamide and in differentiating spermatogonia to early spermatocytes for X-rays plus mitomycin C.