Radiation Effects on Membranes: I. Vitamin E Deficiency and Lipid Peroxidation

Mice which had received a vitamin E-deficient diet from weaning on, were more sensitive to X irradiation than were normal mice, ${\rm LD}_{50/30}$ being decreased by 0.25 Gy. The vitamin E-deficient mice also showed an increased spleen shrinkage. The cellular membranes of the vitamin E-deficient mice were more vulnerable to lipid peroxidation. X irradiation in vivo shortened the lag period prior to rapid lipid peroxidation as measured in vitro. Injection of the mice with glutathione prior to X irradiation protected the membranes in the in vitro test of peroxidation capacity as was demonstrated by an extended lag period. The possible meaning of these results with respect to the concept that membranes may be important sites for radiation damage is discussed.