Analysis of Red Blood Cells and their Components in Medical Workers with Occupational Exposure to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation.

Plenty of reports focus on the effects of low-dose radiation (LDR) on peripheral blood lymphocytes in radiation workers. However, studies on red blood cells (RBCs) in radiation workers are rarely reported. Many studies focused on investigate the hemogram of radiation staffs without detecting other components of RBCs. To explore the potential effect of LDR on RBCs, we detected the level of RBC count, hemoglobin, 2,3-disphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), and glutathione (GSH), and then analyzed the factors on these indices in 106 medical radiation workers. As a result, RBC count was affected by sex, age, type of work, length of service (only for females), and annual effective dose (only for males). Hemoglobin status was affected by sex, type of work, and annual effective dose (only for males). Sex, age, and type of work had no effects on the concentration of 2,3-DPG and GSH. Length of service affected 2,3-DPG concentration, and annual effective dose affected GSH level. In conclusion, chronic occupational LDR exposure may have an effect on RBC count, hemoglobin status, and the concentration of 2,3-DPG and GSH in radiation workers to some extent. However, it is still unknown how this kind of influence affects the health of radiation workers.

Cytogenetic monitoring of peripheral blood lymphocytes from medical radiation professionals occupationally exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation.

In order to assess the health risk of low-dose radiation to radiation professionals, monitoring is performed through chromosomal aberration analysis and micronuclei (MN) analysis. MN formation has drawbacks for monitoring in the low-dose range. Nucleoplasmic bridge (NPB) analysis, with a lower background level, has good dose-response relationships at both high and relatively low dose ranges. Dicentric and ring chromosomes were analyzed in 199 medical radiation professionals, and NPB/MN yields were analyzed in 205 radiation professionals. The effects of sex, age of donor, types of work, and length of service on these cytogenetic endpoints were also analyzed. The yields of the three cytogenetic endpoints were significantly higher in radiation professionals versus controls. Frequencies of dicentric plus ring chromosomes were affected by length of service. NPB frequencies were influenced by type of work and length of service. MN yields were affected not only by types of work and length of service but also by donor sex and age. In conclusion, dicentric plus ring chromosomes, NPB, and MN can be induced by low-dose radiation in radiation professionals. NPB is a potential biomarker to assess the health risk of occupational low-dose radiation exposure.

X-ray-induced expression changes of TNFSF4 gene in human peripheral blood.

This study examined ionizing radiation-induced tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily, member 4 (TNFSF4) mRNA expression changes in human peripheral blood cells and their distribution in a normal population. The results showed that expression level of TNFSF4 mRNA exhibited a dose-dependent response after different irradiation doses, but that was independent of incubation time post-irradiation. Moreover, it was not affected by age and gender in 51 healthy donors. Our studies indicate that TNFSF4 can be considered as a candidate gene to develop a new biodosimeter.