LAUSR

Purpose To evaluate the development of delayed lethal mutations, the production of medium borne lethal bystander signals, and the acquirement of radiosensitive or radioresistant traits in distant descendant progeny of fish and amphibian cells surviving ionizing radiation Materials and methods American eel brain endothelial cells (eelB) and African clawed frog epithelial cells (A6) were initially irradiated with gamma rays at 0.5 Gy or 2 Gy. Ionizing radiation (IR)‐surviving cells were grown for 27 population doublings (PDs) for eelB and 43 PDs for A6. Reproductive cell death as quantified by clonogenic survival assays was used to determine the development of delayed lethal mutations, the production of medium borne lethal bystander signals, and the acquirement of radiosensitive or radioresistant traits in the progeny survivors. Results Only medium borne bystander signals produced by 2‐Gy‐irradiated eelB progeny survivors at 12 PDs could reduce the clonogenic survival of the bystander reporter cells. IR‐induced delayed lethal mutations occurred in irradiated eelB cells at 15–18 PDs; however, subsequently propagated progeny cells retained normal replicative abilities. No IR‐induced delayed lethal mutations developed in progeny of irradiated A6 cells at up to 43 PDs. eelB progeny survivors did not develop new radiosensitive or radioresistant traits while A6 progeny survivors acquired a new radiosensitive characteristic. Conclusion This study enriches the current literature on the radiobiological characteristics of distant surviving progeny of irradiated fish and amphibian cells and highlights cell‐type/species‐dependent differential responses to IR. This study is the first to examine the potential transgenerational effects of progenitor irradiation in amphibian cells. HighlightsProgeny of fish cells surviving 2 Gy produced lethal bystander signals.Radiation‐induced delayed lethal mutations occurred in fish cells at 15–18 PDs.No radiation‐induced delayed lethal mutations occurred in amphibian cells.Surviving fish progeny cells did not develop new radio‐sensitive/resistant traits.Surviving amphibian progeny cells did acquire a radiosensitive trait.