ABSTRACT
Chromosomal aberration analyses were performed in two groups of radiation workers and in a group of healthy controls. Although the level of exposure was below the accepted annual limit of 50 mSv, the yields of chromosome fragments and of total aberrations were significantly higher in the radiation workers than in the controls. However, the frequencies of dicentric and ring chromosomes in the radiation workers were not significantly different from those in the controls.
Subject(s)
Chromosome Aberrations , Lymphocytes/radiation effects , Occupational Exposure , Adolescent , Adult , Cells, Cultured , Humans , Middle Aged , Ring ChromosomesABSTRACT
It has been suggested that the yield of micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes could be used as a biological dosimeter in cases of radiation exposure. In the present study micronuclei were induced in lymphocytes by exposing human blood samples in vitro to various doses of Cs-137 gamma-rays. The blood samples were then cultivated using the cytokinesis block method. Coded programs were employed to establish the relationships between the frequencies of micronuclei and various doses of gamma-rays. The best fit was obtained by the linear-quadratic model, Y = c + aD + bd2, where Y is the yield of micronuclei, D is the dose in Gy and c, a, b, are constants. It seems there is a correlation between the yields of MN in mononuclear cells and the corresponding doses of radiation. Therefore an attempt was made to include these MN in the calculation of the dose-response relationship.
Subject(s)
Gamma Rays/adverse effects , Lymphocytes/radiation effects , Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective/radiation effects , Adult , Cell Division/radiation effects , Cells, Cultured , Cesium Radioisotopes/adverse effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Lymphocytes/cytology , MaleABSTRACT
Examination of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma revealed depressed ratios of helper/suppressor T-cells, assessed with monoclonal antibodies OKT4 and 8. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease patients studied from 1 to 204 months following treatment by radiotherapy also demonstrated depressed ratios, although the patients were clinically free of disease. The failure of the helper T-cells to recover following apparently successful treatment suggests that either the initial disease or the radiotherapy produces a virtually irreversible effect on T-cell subpopulations. Treated Hodgkin's disease patients also exhibited a long term increase in B-cell numbers but this effect could be correlated with splenectomy performed during staging laparotomy.