Membrane solubilization in erythrocytes as a measure of radiation exposure to fast neutrons

Membrane solubilization and osmotic fragility of rat erythrocytes irradiated in vivo with fast neutron fluences ranging from 10(6) to 5 x 10(7) n cm(-2) using a 252Cf source were measured instantaneously using a light scattering technique. The solubilization of erythrocyte membrane by a non-ionic detergent, octylglucoside (OG), was found to exhibit a two stage transition from vesicular form to mixed micellar form in the range of detergent concentrations 1.5-7.8 mM. The coexistence phase, vesicular/mixed micellar, was shifted towards higher detergent concentrations with increase in the neutron fluence, indicating increasing membrane resistance to the detergent and hence change in the natural membrane permeation properties. The technique shows an adequate sensitivity in detecting membrane damage in erythrocytes and has potential as a biophysical marker of radiation exposure. The osmotic fragility of irradiated erythrocytes shows a decreasing trend with increasing irradiation fluence measured directly and two weeks post-irradiation. Blood films photographed two weeks post-irradiation show developed elliptocytosis and crenated cell anaemia.

Biological and biophysical techniques to assess radiation exposure: a perspective

Biological dosimeters measure biologically relevant effects of radiation exposure that are in some sense an estimate of effective dose, whereas biophysical indicators serve as surrogates of absorbed dose in a manner analogous to conventional thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). The biological and biophysical dosimeters have the potential to play an important role in assessing unanticipated or occupational radiation exposures. For example, where the exposure is large and uncertain (i.e. radiation accidents), accurate dose information can help in deciding the most appropriate therapy and medical treatment. Another useful area is that of lifetime accumulated dose determination, and the ability to distinguish between and integrate the exposures from natural and anthropogenic (medical X-rays, indoor radon, natural background radiation, occupational and non-occupational exposures). Also, the possibility to monitor individual response and differences in inherent or induced radiation sensitivity may have important implications for radiation protection. More commonly, this type of dosimetry could be used for routine monitoring to detect and quantify unsuspected exposure, for regulatory purposes or for epidemiological studies of the long-term effects of radiation exposure (e.g. in Japanese A-bomb survivors or in the population surrounding Chernobyl). This review is a comparative study of the existing techniques and their future prospects. It summarizes the sensitivity, reproducibility, limiting dose, dose-rate, energy, LET response, sources of variability and uncertainty, and other practical aspects of each bio-indicator. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are evaluated on the basis of common criteria for particular applications, and are summarized for each assay both in the text and in tabular form, for convenience. It is clear that no single indicator qualifies to reliably measure occupational exposures at the current levels of sensitivity conventional dosimetry services provide. Most of the bio-techniques are applicable to the detection of relatively high radiation exposures at relatively short times after exposure. Some of the bio-indicators have been identified that are, or offer future prospects for becoming, appropriate bio-indicators for dosimetry needs. However, all methods are subject to biological and other variables that are presently uncontrolled, and represent a major source of uncertainty. These include variations in background signals not directly associated with radiation exposure, inter- and intra-individual variability of radiation response, and genetic and environmental effects. Although these factors contribute to the lack of confidence in biological dosimetry, promising bio-indicators may be applied to large populations to establish the inherent variability and confounding factors that limit quantitative data collection and analysis, and reduce reliability and reproducibility.

Radiation-induced surface IgG modulation: protein kinase C involvement

Although radiation-induced loss of surface IgG (s-IgG) expression on murine B cells is known to be dependent on intact energy metabolism and integrity of the cytoskeleton, the exact mechanism of this radiation effect is not known. Evidence reported here shows that inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) by H-7 impairs the radiation-induced s-IgG modulation, whereas addition of HA-1004, which preferently inhibits c-AMP-dependent protein kinase, shows only minor effects. On the other hand PMA, a PKC activator, mimics the radiation effect, and H-7 but not HA-1004 inhibits the PMA-induced loss of s-IgG expression. Therefore it is suggested that PKC is involved in the modulation of s-IgG induced by irradiation on B cells. The possibility of membrane participation in this event is discussed.

Effect of gamma-radiation on the structure and function of yeast membrane

A decrease in the influx of several amino acids was observed following gamma-irradiation. At low dose (2.5 Gy), which does not affect cell survival, a stimulation in the uptake was visible; moreover, sulphydryl loss and lipid peroxidation were also evident. With further increase in the dose of radiation, a parallel increment in the loss of sulphydryl groups and production of malonaldehyde was observed. Radioprotectors like L-cysteine and dithiothreitol were shown to shield the radiation-induced loss of sulphydryl and damage to transport and survival. Reduced glutathione, on the other hand, exhibited protection at the level of sulphydryl damage only. N-ethylmaleimide, a well known hypoxic cell radiosensitizer, enhanced the radiosensitivity with respect to survival; it, however, had no effect on amino acid transport. Oxygen enhancement of radiation damage to transport and cell survival and the radioprotection by sodium formate under these circumstances, and more so by anoxia, were demonstrated. The results indicate that the manifestation of damage to membrane structure and function precedes any observable loss of survival.

The effect of x-rays on the precursors of antibody forming cells (B cells) as measured with the in vitro limiting dilution assay

The effect of X-irradiation upon murine antibody-forming cell precursors (B cells) was established in cultures of spleen cells stimulated with the B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS). At day 5 and 7 the numbers of IgM- and IgG2-secreting cells were determined in cultures of irradiated and nonirradiated spleen cells. From these numbers a Do of 0.6-1.2 Gy for the IgM, and of 0.9-2.1 Gy for the IgG2 response was calculated. Similar Do values were obtained under limiting dilution culture conditions. In the limiting dilution assay the effect of irradiation upon the size of the IgM-producing clones could also be determined. It was found that irradiation reduced the number of LPS-reactive B cells without affecting the size of the clones produced by the surviving cells.

The relative contributions of B and T lymphocytes in the human peripheral blood mutagen test system as determined by cell survival, mitogenic stimulation, and induction of chromosome aberrations by radiation

Ficoll-Hypaque-separated subpopulations of human peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, or 5.0 Gy of gamma rays. Three parameters were examined: Survival, as measured by trypan blue dye exclusion in unstimulated cultures five days after irradiation; mitotic index, measured in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated cultures 48 and 72 hours after irradiation; and chromosome aberration frequency, measured 48 or 60 hours after irradiation. Survival curves of T, B, and null cells are biphasic; the Do values for the radiosensitive populations of all three cell types are close to 0.6 Gy but are different for the radioresistant populations: 2.7 Gy for B cells, 4.77 Gy for T cells, and 6.03 Gy for null cells. B cells, as well as T cells, are stimulated to divide by PHA, and B cells comprise at least 10% of the mitotic figures seen in unirradiated cultures at 48 hours. The proportion of B lymphocytes in mitosis at any particular time after PHA stimulation decreases with increasing radiation dose, which reflects a higher mitotic radiosensitivity of B than of T cells. No significant difference, however, in chromosome aberration frequency was found between T and B cells.

Radiation effects on erythrocyte membrane structure studied by the intrinsic fluorescence

The changes in the intrinsic fluorescence, primarily from tryptophan residues, of sheep erythrocyte membranes following X-irradiation (0--4000 R) were investigated. The experiments showed that there was (1) a decrease in the intensity of fluorescence with increasing dose of X-rays, (2) a small shift of fluorescence emission to longer wavelengths, (3) a decrease in the fluorescence polarization, and that (4) treatment of membranes with a perturbing solvent, 2-chloroethanol, can eliminate the effects of X-rays. The amount of tryptophan in the membranes was not altered after X-irradiation. It was also shown that sulphydryl reagents, N-ethylmaleimide and 2,2'-dithiodipyridine, induced similar fluorescence changes. From these results it was concluded that the fluorescence changes could result from a change in the environment surrounding tryptophan residues, from being relatively non-polar to being more polar, implying that conformational changes of membrane proteins are brought about by low doses of X-rays.