title: Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: II. Hematological variables and cytokines.
abstract: The goal of part II of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma-radiation on circulating blood cells, functional characteristics of splenocytes, and cytokine expression after whole-body irradiation at varying total doses and at low- and high-dose-rates (LDR, HDR). Young adult C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were irradiated with either 1 cGy/min or 80 cGy/min photons from a 60Co source to cumulative doses of 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy. The animals were euthanized at 4 days post-exposure for in vitro assays. Significant dose- (but not dose-rate-) dependent decreases were observed in erythrocyte and blood leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion by activated spleen cells when compared to sham-irradiated controls (p < 0.05). Basal proliferation of leukocytes in the blood and spleen increased significantly with increasing dose (p < 0.05). Significant dose rate effects were observed only in thrombocyte counts. Plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and splenocyte secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were not affected by either the dose or dose rate of radiation. The data demonstrate that the responses of blood and spleen were largely dependent upon the total dose of radiation employed and that an 80-fold difference in the dose rate was not a significant factor in the great majority of measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Medicine, Radiobiology Program, Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA. dgridley@dominion.llumc.edu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Gridley
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pecaut
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Moyers
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010976:Platelet Count; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008934:Mitogens; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha