查看文章

We have previously shown that male human fetal germ cells are highly radiosensitive and that their death depends on p53 activation. Male germ cell apoptosis was initiated with doses as low as 0.1 Gy and was prevented by pifithrin α, a p53 inhibitor. In this study, we investigated the radiosensitivity of early female and male fetal proliferating germ cells.

Both male and female fetal germ cells displayed a similar number of γH2AX foci in response to ionizing radiation (IR). In organ culture of human fetal ovaries, the germ cells underwent apoptosis only when exposed to high doses of IR (1.5 Gy and above). Accumulation of p53 was detected in irradiated male human fetal germ cells but not in female ones. Inhibition of p53 with pifithrin α did not affect oogonia apoptosis following irradiation. IR induced apoptosis similarly in mouse fetal …