title: Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes, many years after exposure of workers to low-dose ionizing radiation.
abstract: The present study aims to measure chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 25 subjects exposed to 0.10-0.33 Gy external or internal irradiation 32-41 years ago using conventional cytogenetic analysis methods. The frequencies of total chromosome-type aberrations and micronucleus significantly increased in the exposed group compared with that in age-matched control group (p<0.001); chromatid-type aberrations showed no difference between the two groups (p>0.05). When exposed subjects were divided into two groups based on exposure dose, higher levels of dicentric plus translocation frequencies were observed in the ≥0.15 Gy dose group compared with those in the <0.15 Gy dose group, though the difference was not significant. Borderline association between exposure dose and dicentric frequency was detected in the exposed group (r=0.358; p=0.079). These results suggest that the genotoxic effects of ionizing radiation remain in subjects exposed to low-dose radiation even decades after exposure.
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Feng-Ling
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, PR China.
authors.forename: Quan-Fu
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Xi-Ai
authors.initials: XA
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
authors.forename: Bao-Hua
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Henan Institute of Occupational Medicine, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China. Electronic address: lym636160@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lü
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Cytogenetic analysis; Long-term effect; Low-dose radiation; Peripheral blood lymphocytes