Research on the change of serum immune cytokines in medical radiation workers / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes of the serum immune cytokines in medical radiation workers exposure to low dose ionizing radiation. METHODS: Totally 244 medical professionals working with radiation(61 diagnosis radiology,51 nuclear medicine,74 radio therapeutics and 58 interventional radiology) from 7 hospitals of Guangdong Province were selected as study subjects by using the typical sampling method; 51 administration workers who did not expose to radiation were selected as control group. The radiation dose of these individuals was monitored by thermoluminescent measurement instrument for one year. Venous blood was collected and the levels of interferon γ(IFN-γ),interleukin 10(IL-10),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) in serum were examined by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. RESULTS: The maximum annual average dose of radiation per person of the medical radiation workers was 0. 41 mSv/a. It was smaller than the occupational exposure limit(20. 00 mSv/a). The annual average dose of radiation per person in the group of nuclear medicine was significantly higher than those of diagnosis radiology,radio therapeutics and interventional radiology(P <0. 01). Among the male staffs,the expression of IL-10 in the diagnosis radiology group,radio therapeutics group and interventional radiology group was lower than that in the control group(P < 0. 05); the expression of IL-10 in radio therapeutics group was lower than those in nuclear medicine group and interventional radiology group(P < 0. 05); the ratio of IFN-γ/IL-10 in radio therapeutics group was higher than those in diagnosis radiology group,nuclear medicine group,interventional radiology group and control group(P < 0. 05). These individuals were divided into 3 different dose group(0. 03-,0. 06-and > 0. 15 m Sv/a) based on their average radiation dose. The expression of IL-10 in male staffs of these3 dose groups was lower than that of the male control group(P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Long-term low dose ionizing radiation may restrain the expression level of IL-10 in the male staffs.