Potential effect of natural UV irradiation and gamma background on albino mice at two altitudes (Rila Mountain, BG) Available to Purchase

This is the first study to investigate Albino mice (ICR), chronically exposed to natural UV irradiation at two altitudes in Rila Mountains-the region of Beli Iskar (1500 m s.l.) and at Moussala BEO station (2925 m s.l.). UV radiation interacts with mammalian cells in a very complex manner. Results of the genotoxic effect of UV natural background on the experimental animals are presented. Different types of early mutagenic effect in blood cells like Howell-Jolly bodies in erythrocytes and diverse chromosome aberrations – breaks, fragments, centromeric and telomeric attachments in the bone marrow cells were observed. The analysis shows a gradual increase of Howell-Jolly bodies from 15th to the 40th day of the experiment. The percentage of the metaphases with aberrations in the samples from Moussala varies from 8.75 ± 0.75 % on the 15th day of the beginning of the impact and increased slightly on the 30-th-day, reaching a maximum value of 10.75 ± 0.92% on the 40th day since the beginning of the experiment. The lowest percentage of cells with damaged chromosomes are observed on the 15th day (5.50 ± 0.63), but the highest on the 40th day (7.25 ± 0.99) from the region of Beli Iskar where the trend of slightly increasing the damaging effect with the duration of the effect is maintained. This experiment leads to the conclusion that the environmental impact of natural UV irradiation induces extraordinary DNA changes, harmful for the animal organism, especially at the higher altitude.