title: Rh factor is associated with individual radiosensitivity: A cytogenetic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiosensitivity is an inherent trait, associated with a raised reaction to ionizing radiation on the human body. In radiotherapy and radiation protection fields, individualization of the patient's treatment is one of the main topics. With the goal of determining biomarkers capable of anticipating normal tissue side reactions, we studied the association between the Rh factor and radiosensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This experimental study was carried out from January to June 2014 among 50 normal responders with A blood group (25Rh+ and 25Rh-) between the ages of 22 and 23 in Babol, Iran. Human peripheral blood samples were taken from subjects and, using CBMN assay, the biological effects of gamma irradiation, including the frequency of micronuclei (MN) and nuclear division index (NDI), were measured. A data analysis was performed using SPSS version 18 to determine the independent and paired samples t-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increment occurred in the frequency of MN in group Rh+ (196 ± 18.23) compared with Rh- (169 ± 17.11) following irradiation (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Rh factor might be a predicting marker in an individual's radiosensitivity to ionizing radiations. However, we believe that additional investigations are needed to prove this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: M.Sc. of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, MPhil, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Meysam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khosravifarsani
authors.affiliation: Professor of Medical Physics, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Shabestani
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Monfared
authors.affiliation: M.Sc. of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Sajad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borzoueisileh
keywords: CBMN assay; Nuclear division index (NDI); Radiosensitivity