Lack of transgenerational effects of ionizing radiation exposure from the Chernobyl accident
Menée à partir de l'analyse du génome entier de 130 enfants, nés en Ukraine entre 1987 et 2002, et de leurs parents ayant participé aux opérations de nettoyage lors de l'accident de la centrale nucléaire de Tchernobyl ou ayant été exposés aux radiations après l'accident, cette étude analyse l'effet des rayonnements ionisants sur la survenue de nouvelles mutations constitutionnelles, leur type et leur distribution
Effects of radiation exposure from the Chernobyl nuclear accident remain a topic of interest. We investigated whether children born to parents employed as cleanup workers or exposed to occupational and environmental ionizing radiation post-accident were born with more germline de novo mutations (DNMs). Whole-genome sequencing of 130 children (born 1987-2002) and their parents did not reveal an increase in the rates, distributions, or types of DNMs versus previous studies. We find no elevation in total DNMs regardless of cumulative preconception gonadal paternal (mean = 365 mGy, range = 0-4,080 mGy) or maternal (mean = 19 mGy, range = 0-550 mGy) exposure to ionizing radiation and conclude over this exposure range, evidence is lacking for a substantial effect on germline DNMs in humans, suggesting minimal impact on health of subsequent generations.
Science , article en libre accès, 2020