title: Radioprotective effects of selenium and vitamin-E against 6MV X-rays in human blood lymphocytes by micronucleus assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Critical macromolecules of cells such as DNA are in exposure to damage of free radicals that induced from the interaction of ionizing radiation with biological systems. Selenium and vitamin-E are natural compounds that have been shown to be a direct free radical scavenger. The aim of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of selenium and vitamin-E separately and synergistically against genotoxicity induced by 6MV x-rays irradiation in blood lymphocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen volunteers were divided into three groups include A, B and C. These groups were given selenium (800IU), vitamin-E (100mg) and selenium (400IU) + vitamin-E (50mg), respectively. Peripheral blood samples were collected from each group before (0hr) and 1, 2 and 3hr after selenium and vitamin-E administration (separately and synergistically). Then the blood samples were irradiated to 200cGy of 6MV x-rays. After that lymphocyte samples were cultured with mitogenic stimulation to determine the chromosomal aberrations with micronucleus assay in cytokinesis-blocked binucleated cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lymphocytes in the blood samples collected at one hr after ingestion selenium and vitamin-E, exposed in vitro to x-rays exhibited a significant decrease in the incidence of micronuclei, compared with control group at 0hr. The maximum protection and decrease in frequency of micronuclei (50%) were observed at one hr after administration of selenium and vitamin-E synergistically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that ingestion of selenium and vitamin-E as a radioprotector substance before exposures may reduce genetic damage caused by x-rays irradiation.
authors: PhD Student of Medical Physics, Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rostamy_1969@yahoo.com.
authors: Aram
authors: A
authors: Rostami
authors: Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetic, Department of Lab Sciences, School of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. seyedmoos@gmail.com.
authors: Seyed Akbar
authors: SA
authors: Moosavi
authors: Associate Professor of Medical Physics, Department of Technology of Radiology and Radiotherapy, School of Allied Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. changizi@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Changizi
authors: PhD Student of Medical Physics, Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. a.ardekani@live.com.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Abbasian Ardakani
keywords: 6MV; Lymphocyte; Micronucli; Selenium; Vitamin-E; X-rays