Stable chromosomal aberrations in haemopoietic stem cells in the blood of radiation accident victims.
OBJECTIVE
The detection of long-term persistent chromosome aberrations in circulating haemopoietic stem cells after accidental radiation exposure.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples from highly exposed persons were collected 7-25 years after the radiation accidents in Moscow (1971), Kazan (1975) and Chernobyl (1996). Haemopoietic blood stem cells were analysed when investigating individual colonies derived from haemopoietic progenitor cells: burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E), granulocyte-macrophage-colony-forming cells (GM-CFC) and multipotent granulocyte-erythrocyte-macrophage- megakaryocyte-colony-forming cells (GEMM-CFC). Colony formation was obtained in methylcellulose cultures. Chromosome preparations in single colonies were performed using a microtechnique.


RESULTS
Nine patients were investigated at 1 to 4 follow-up time points after radiation exposure. Three hundred and thirty-four single colonies were analyzed resulting in 1375 mitoses. It was found that colonies showed chromosome aberrations (ChA) up to 25 years after radiation exposure by classical cytogenetics and by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Stable aberrations were detected in 21% of colonies. They were clonal in 19% of colonies, i.e. the same abnormality was found in all cells derived from a single colony. In 2% of colonies ChA were stable but non-clonal; unstable ChA were not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that blood-derived haemopoietic stem cells may serve as a biological indicator to detect radiation-induced ChA. Since they are considered to be in dynamic and functional exchange with stem cells in the medullary sites of blood cell formation such as bone marrow, the use of blood stem cells as a marker of radiation effects should be explored to assess the repair status of the stem cell pool as such.
Kreja
L
L
Institute for Occupational- Social- and Environmental Medicine, University of Ulm, Germany. ludwika.kreja@medizin.uni-ulm.de
Greulich
K M
KM
Fliedner
T M
TM
Heinze
B
B
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003582:Cytogenetics; D005260:Female; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009031:Moscow; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D012426:Russia; D013997:Time Factors; D014455:Ukraine