All issues > Volume 46(6); 2003

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2003;46(6):554-560. Published online June 15, 2003.

Experimental Study for the Teratogenic Effect of Gamma-ray on the Heart of Chick Embryo

Yong Whan YW Jo¹, Nam Su NS Kim¹, Sung Yup SY Moon¹, Myeng Gul MG Yum¹, Sung Hoon SH Kim², Ha Chung HC Chun², Yong Joo YJ Kim¹, Hahng H Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Radiotheraphy, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Nam Su NS Kim ,Email: namsukim@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: To investigate the teratogenic effect of gamma-ray on the heart of chick embryo.
Methods
: 50 rad, 100 rad, 150 rad, 200 rad, 250 rad, and 300 rad of gamma-ray were used to irradiate three days old chick embryos. The control group was not irradiated. After three weeks, the embryos were sacrificed and examined for cardiovascular malformation.
Results
: The survival rate of the gamma-ray irradiated group was significantly lower than that of the control group(33.3-63.3% vs 76.4%, P=0.001). The cardiac malformation rate of the experimental group was 11.0%. In the control group, no congenital cardiac malformations were observed. The experimental groups had a significantly higher malformation rate(P=0.001). The types of malformation were ventricular septal defect, tricuspid atresia, Ebstein anomaly and aortic arch anomaly. In the gamma-ray irradiated group, the cardiac malformations were : 14 small ventricular septal defects (VSDs), five large VSDs, two tricuspid atresias, and one Ebstein anomaly. The higher the dose of radiation applied, the higher the incidence of cardiac malformation was noted.
Conclusion
: Gamma-ray irradiation of 3 days old chick embryos increased the rate of death and the rate of cardiac malformation significantly.

Keywords :Gamma-ray, Chick embryo, Cardiac malformation