Long-Term Hemopoiesis and Immunity Status after Chronic Radiation
Exposure of Red Bone Marrow in Humans
Alexander V. Akleyev, Galina A. Veremeyeva,
Larisa A. Silkina and Alexander V. Vozilova
Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk, Russia1
Corresponding author: Alexander V. Akleyev, M.D.
Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine
Medgorodok, Chelyabinsk, 454076, Russia
Tel.: (+351) 2 344 762; Fax: (+351) 2 344 321
e-mail:akleyev@urcrm.chel.su
CEJOEM 1999 5(2):113-129
ABSTRACT: The focus of the paper is on the results
of clinical observations and laboratory investigations performed for individuals
exposed to chronic radiation due to discharges of about 3 million Ci of
radioactive waste from the Mayak Industrial Association into the river
Techa in 1949–1956. The population of the riverside villages was exposed
to a combined external gamma- and internal (mainly due to Sr-90) radiation.
Given the nature of the exposure, the red bone marrow (RBM) was a critical
organ for the exposed residents. During the first 2–4 years after the onset
of chronic exposure, changes observed in the peripheral blood were manifested
by leukopenia (mostly due to reduced neutrophil counts), thrombocytopenia
and inhibition of non-specific immunity factors, at equivalent dose rates
to RBM of 300–500 mSv per year, and higher. In the 1950s 940 residents
with highest exposure doses were diagnosed with chronic radiation sickness.
At late times (43–48 years after the beginning of exposure) the status
of hemopoiesis and immunity is normal among most of the exposed subjects.
However, proportions of the exposed persons are still noted to show an
increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations (both stable and unstable
types) and CD3 – CD4+ mutant T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood.
KEY WORDS: Red bone marrow, hemopoiesis, immunity, chronic radiation
exposure, chronic radiation sickness, chromosome aberrations, translocations,
somatic mutations, T-cell receptor
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to convey their deep gratitude
to Dr. A. Awa, Dr. S. Kyoizumi (RERF), Prof. M. Bauchinger (GSF) for their
assistance in conducting research of somatic mutations and stable chromosome
aberrations, and to Dr. E. Tolstykh for her help in dose calculation.
Received: 23 June 1999
Accepted: 29 July 1999
Posted: December 1999 |
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