Effects of Radioactive Cesium-Containing Water on Mice: The Effect of Low-Dose Internal Exposure of Multigeneration Chronic Oral Intake of 137Cs in Mice Offspring

Abstract

To investigate the transgenerational effect of chronic low-dose-rate internal radiation exposure after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan, every generation of mice was maintained in a radioisotope facility with free access to drinking water containing 137CsCl (100 Bq/ml). Descendent mice were assessed for γ-H2AX foci in hepatocytes, the micronucleus test and chromosome aberration analysis in bone marrow cells, DNA mutations in the liver, tumorigenicity in the lung, oxidative stress in blood plasma, and metabolome analysis in the heart. In this chapter, the author tries to introduce that animal experiments are useful to understand low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation effects.