Sister chromatid exchange analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals

The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) was studied in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes of 66 healthy subjects of both sexes. The individual mean values of SCE were determined and the incidence of high frequency cells (HFCs) was analysed. The influence of several factors such as age, sex, smoking habit and diagnostic X-rays exposure was analysed using ANOVA. The mean SCE frequency was 4.42 +/- 1.32. There were no consistent, significant correlation between lifestyle factors and end points examined except between female and male nonsmokers and smokers, and between X-ray exposed and non-exposed subjects. In our group, 34 subjects with HFCs were found. Cells were classified as HFCs if the threshold at a 95% tolerance level was above 9. Mean value of whole HFCs group was 5.46 +/- 0.83. there were no significant differences either between smokers and non-smokers or between males and females within the HFCs group.