The Effect of X-rays on the Phosphorus Content of the Desoxyribonucleic Acid, Ribonucleic Acid and Lipoid Fractions of the Epidermis in Rats1

The clinical effect of X-rays, as well as some of their effects on the morphology of certain tissues, is well known. Their biochemical effects, however, have not been studied extensively. Thomson and co-workers (1) have shown that in rats the desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and to a smaller extent the ribonucleic acid (RNA) content of the thymus decreases on exposure to 800 R of gamma rays. It has also been established (2) that following irradiation of 310-620 R of gamma rays, the concentration of RNA and that of DNA in the bone marrow of rabbits decreases markedly. Lutwak-Mann (3) observed the decrease of the phosphorus content of the nucleic acid in the bone marrow of rats. Hollo and Zlatarov (4) noted a pronounced diminution of the total phosphorus content of the epidermis of rats following contact X-ray irradiation.