This report summarizes proE _.;s in OHER biological research and general life sciences research programs conducted at PNL in FY 1992. The research develops the knowledge and fundamental principles necessary to identify, understand, and anticipate the long-term health consequences of energyrelated radiation and chemicals. Our continuing emphasis is to decrease the uncertainty of health risk estimates from energy-related technologies through an increased understanding of the ways in which radiation and chemicals cause biological damage. The sequence of this report of PNL research reflects the OHER programmatic structure. The first section, Biological Research, contains reports of biological research in laboratory animals and in vitro cell systems, including research with radiation, radionuclides, and chemicals. The next section, General Life Sciences Research, reports research conducted for the OHER human genome research program. Biological Research Lifespan studies in beagles with inhaled 239pu(NO3)4were in the 15th postexposure year. Ali 105 plutonium-exposed dogs are dead; 28 dogs had bone tumors, 34 had lung tumors, and 14 had liver tumors. Bone or lungtumors were also the primary plutonium-exposure-related causes of death in beagles with inhaled 238puO2initial lung depositions (ILD) _.0.67kBq. Six of the dogs had liver tumors; however, liver tumors were the cause of death in only 1 dog. Although liver tumors were not a primary cause of death, chronic increased levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT),indicating liver damage, were observed in dose-level groups with ILD :.2.9 kBq 9 years after exposure, 4 years earlier than the median survival time of the group. The 'National Radiobiology Archives' project is a comprehensive effort to gather, organize, and catalog data, documents, and tissues related to lifespan radiobiology studies for future research and analyses. The scope of the information system has been expanded to include dose-effect information on approximately 7,000 beagles and 10,000 mice from seven laboratories. An introduction to the system is available on diskette. Dose-effect-relationship studies on inhaled 239pUO2in rats are in progress to obtain lung tumor incidence data at lifetime lung doses of 0.05 to 55 Gy. The incidence of lung tumors was 0.32% in 1877 rats receiving <1 Gy to the lung, 42% in 229 rats receiving >1 Gy, and 0.19% in 1052 controls. Although 1% of deposited plutonium was found in subepithelial locations of upper airways, the dose calculated to upper-airway epithelium from subepithelially located particles was small, and no tumors were observed in the bronchi, trachea, or larynx. No significant difference in tumor frequency, location, or type was found between control and exposed rats, other than for tumors in the lung. Rats exposed by inhalation to radon, radon progeny, and uranium ore dust are being evaluated to determine the influence of dose, dose rate, and cigarette smoke in lung cancer incidence. The overall trend in lung tumor incidence decreases in proportion to th...
