A susceptibility locus for radiation lymphomagenesis on mouse chromosome 16

BALB/cHeA (BALB/c) mice are sensitive to radiation lymphomagenesis, while S TS/A (STS) mice are resistant. We have selected a recombinant mouse, R1, wi th a STS-derived D16Mit165-D16Mit34 segment in the vicinity of the centrome re of chromosome 16 among progeny from a (CcS-7/Dem x BALB/c)F-1 x BALB/c b ackcross. To test the susceptibility to radiation lymphomagenesis, we gener ated a genetic cross by mating the male and female R1 progeny obtained by 4 -6 backcrosses of R1 to BALB/ c. The mice were subjected to 4 x 1.7 Gy of X -irradiation. Of 120 mice analyzed, 94 developed lymphomas (91, of thymic t ype; 3, of nonthymic type) within 315 days of observation. The analysis ind icated a link between the susceptibility to lymphomagenesis and the marker D16Mit34 on chromosome 16. The mice heterozygous for the BALB/c and STS all eles at D16Mit34 were less sensitive to lymphomagenesis than the mice homoz ygous at this locus. There was no significant difference in latency among t he genotypes. Our study showed the existence of a susceptibility locus for radiation lymphomagenesis on chromosome 16 and revealed aspects of the gene tics of lymphoma susceptibility.