title: Astaxanthin modifies clastogenic effects of ionizing radiation in vitro in peripheral blood lymphocytes of the persons recovered from acute radiation sickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess radioprotective activity of astaxanthin toward radiation-induced in vitro cytogenetic effects in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL).
  
  
  METHODS
  PBL from the cleanup workers exposed to ionizing radiation at high doses in 1986 during accident on Chornobyl nuclear power plant and who were diagnosed with acute radiation sickness of the first and second degrees, were cultured in vitro. Astaxanthin was added into the culture medium at a final concentration of 20.0 µg/ml, prior to γ-irradiation of PBL in vitro at a dose of 1 Gy. The slides of metaphase chromosomes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Astaxanthin demonstrated considerable radioprotective effect in irradiated PBL manifested in significantly decreased levels of unstable cytogenetic markers of radiation exposure (dicentrics and centric rings).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data evidence on radioprotective capacity of astaxanthin toward radiation-induced cytogenetic effects in vitro in PBL of liquidators irradiated during Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident. This article is a part of a Special Issue entitled "The Chornobyl Nuclear Accident: Thirty Years After".
authors.affiliation: State Institution "National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv 04050, Ukraine.
authors.forename: D А
authors.initials: DА
authors.lastname: Kurinnyi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology and Medicine, Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rushkovsky
authors.affiliation: State Institution "National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv 04050, Ukraine.
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Dybska
authors.affiliation: State Institution "National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv 04050, Ukraine.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Dubrovina
authors.affiliation: State Institution "National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv 04050, Ukraine.
authors.forename: M А
authors.initials: MА
authors.lastname: Pilinska
mesh_terms: D043171:Chromosomal Instability / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000235:genetics*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine