title: Long-term health effects of persistent exposure to low-dose lr192 gamma-rays.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of persistent low-dose iridium-192 (Ir192) exposure on immunological function, chromosome aberration and the telomerase activity of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNCs), in order to increase clinical knowledge of the late effects of persistent low-dose Ir192 gamma-ray exposure. Patients (n=54) accidentally exposed to persistent low-dose Ir192 were included in this 10-year follow-up study. Clinical symptoms, peripheral blood, bone marrow, cellular and humoral immune status, chromosome aberrations and the telomerase activity of BMNCs were analyzed in this study. Exposure to low-dose Ir192 resulted in different degrees of clinical symptoms and significantly lowered complement C3 and C4 levels, CD3+, CD4+and CD8+T cell levels, the lymphocyte transformation rate and the percentage of natural killer (NK) cells. It also led to increases in peripheral blood and bone marrow abnormality rates, chromosome aberration rate and BMNC telomerase activity. Exposure to persistent low-dose Ir192 radiation resulted in different degrees of immune dysfunction, and abnormalities of blood cells and bone marrow, which recovered within 1-3 years. Chromosome aberrations were observed to take 5-10 years to recover. However, it would take >10 years for the telomerase activity of BMNCs to be reduced to normal levels. A prolonged follow-up time is required in order to monitor clonal proliferative diseases such as leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zujun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhifang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zenghui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of ICU, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen, Guangdong 529000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of ICU, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510010, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of ICU, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510010, P.R. China; Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
keywords: Ir192; cellular and humoral immune; chromosome aberrations; follow up; telomerase