Acta Radiologica: Therapy, Physics, Biology
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Influence of Diagnostic Roentgen Doses on Human Chromosomes and Influence of Age on the Aberration Yield Maria Kučerová, Zdenka Polívková & Libuše Hradcová To cite this article: Maria Kučerová, Zdenka Polívková & Libuše Hradcová (1976) Influence of Diagnostic Roentgen Doses on Human Chromosomes and Influence of Age on the Aberration Yield, Acta Radiologica: Therapy, Physics, Biology, 15:1, 91-96, DOI: 10.3109/02841867609132711 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.3109/02841867609132711
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FROM THE POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL INSTITUTE, PEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT, AND GENETIC
LABORATORY,
INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE AND
EPIDEMIOLOGY, PRAGUE,
CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
INFLUENCE OF DIAGNOSTIC ROENTGEN DOSES ON HUMAN CHROMOSOMES AND INFLUENCE OF AGE ON THE ABERRATION YIELD MARIAKU~EROVA, ZDENKA PoLfvKovA and LIBU~E HRADCOVA It has been known for fifteen years that in vivo irradiation with high roentgen doses induces structural changes in human chromosomes of peripheral lymphocytes and other tissues. It is also known that aberrations are mostly of the chromosomal type, i.e. most of them are dicentrics, fragments and ring chromosomes. The number of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood cells increases proportionally after high doses. Nevertheless, the influence of low doses on human cells is far from being completely clear. The literature available contains little information (BLOOM& TJIO 1964, REISMAN et coll. 1967). The data in these reports were obtained from a nonhomogenous sample of patients irradiated in different ways, and the number of cells scored was not high. Insignificantly increased numbers of aberrant cells were found in both materials. UNSCEAR (1969) believes that only an automatic analysis of human chromosomes may give a correct answer to this problem. In previous experiments (KU~EROVA et coll. 1972)the effect of low doses of roentgen irradiation in vitro on chromosomes of human cells was analysed. A significant increase of chromosomal aberrations was found only after doses ranging between Submitted for publication 11 March 1975. Acta Radiologica Therapy Physics Biology 15 (1976) Fasc. 1 February
91
92
MARIA
KUeEROVA, ZDENKA
-
POLfVKOVA AND LIBUSE HRADCOVA
Table 1
Influence of radiation doses at urography on chromosomes of a group of I 0 persons 7-18 years old
Blood samples
Type of aberration
No. of aberrations
Control
Fragment Dicentric
12 2 14 26 6 1 33 25 7 1 33
E
Immediately after irradiation
Fragment Dicentric Ring E
24 hours after irradiation
Fragment Dicentric Ring E
*
Per cent of cells with aberration
Total No. of cells analysed
0.8
1687
1.32
2 506
2.01
1 627
Significantly higher comparing with control data.
15 and 30 R or higher. The scoring of 1 500 cells per dose allowed a determination of this sensitivity level of human cells. In an attempt to elucidate the influence of low doses in vivo, it was decided to analyse in detail peripheral blood chromosomes in 16 young subjects, irradiated with diagnostic doses during urography.
Material and Methods The same machine (Chirodur 125, with Rotax lamp 125) was used for the exposures (filter 1 mm Al, 50-55 kV, 70-150 mAs, FFD 90 cm). The only variable factors were the age, size and weight of the patients. The total skin dose was measured with a Victoreen apparatus and was found to vary between 1 and 4 R; in a 3 years old patient it was 1002 mR (the thickness of the body 11 cm) and in a 17 years old patient 3 445 mR (the thickness of the body 15 cm). Two groups of patients of different ages were chosen. The first group comprised 10 persons aged 7 to 18 years, the second group consisted of 6 children at the age of 8 to 32 months. The urography was indicated because of possible infection of the kidneys. None of the patients was given cytostatics or other drugs with known mutagenic activity. Blood samples were taken before irradiation, immediately after and 24 hours after the irradiation. Lymphocytes were cultivated for 58 hours using a routine cytogenic microtechnique (HUNGERFORD 1965). Slides were stained by Giemsa. Chromosomal aberrations were scored as recommended by UNSCEAR and WHO (BUCKTON & EVANS1973). All slides were coded and scored blindly.
93
INFLUENCE OF DIAGNOSTIC ROENTGEN DOSES
Table 2 Influence of radiation doses at urography on chromosomes of a group of 6 children 8-32 month old
Blood samples
Type of aberration
No. of aberrations
Per cent of cells with aberration
Total No. of cells analysed
Control Immediately after irradiation
Fragment Fragrnent Dicentric
6 13 2
0.4
1500
E
15
0.8
1800
24 hours after irradiation
Fragment Dicentric
13
E
20
1.1
1800
I
Results and Discussion No significant differences were found between the results of the 10 subjects in the first group and between the 6 subjects in the second group which permitted the pooling of the results. The pooled data appear in Tables 1 and 2. The total number of cells scored in each type of sample varied from 1 500 to 2 500. A distinctly increased number of aberrant cells was found following irradiation, but this increase was significant only in samples collected 24 hours after irradiation (at level ~ ( 0 . 0 1 )and only in the first group of patients (skin dose about 3.5 R). In the group of young children, the increase of aberrations was higher in samples collected 24 hours after irradiation, but the significant level was only p (0.05 (skin dose about 1 R). If the number of aberrant cells in both groups of patients are compared, it is found that the level of aberrations in young children was lower in all types of samples including control ones. It may be supposed that these children had had only short periods of time to be exposed to all sources of irradiation as well as to other mutagenic factors. Direct measurement of skin doses demonstrated that the younger the children, the lower were the doses used for urography, because of less body thickness. This explains the lower number of aberrations recorded after irradiation in the second group. The number of dicentric and ring chromosomes is supposed to be a most reliable indicator of human radiation sensitivity if routine cytogenetic methods are used (UNSCEAR). Therefore the number of dicentrics and rings per cell in all samples of both groups of patients irradiated in vivo were compared with previous results obtained after in vitro irradiation of human lymphocytes (KU~EROVA et coll.). The comparison is presented in Table 3. It is always difficult to compare the results from two different materials; however, it is quite evident that the number of aberrations in all control samples were very
94
MARIA KUEEROVA, ZDENKA POLfVKOVA A N D LIBUiE HRADCOVA
.
Table 3
Comparison of number of dicentrics and rings per ceN after irradiation in vitro and in vivo
Blood samples
In vitro Control Dose 5 R 10 R 15 R 30 R
In vivo Persons 7-1 8 years old * Control Immediately after irradiation 24 hours after irradiation Children 8-32 month old** Control Immediately after irradiation 24 hours after irradiation
No. of dicentrics and rings
Total No. of cells analysed
No. of dicentrics and rings/cell
2 2 2 5 26
1500 1500 1500 1500 1500
0.0013 0.0013 0.001 3 0.0033 0.0173
2 7 8
1687 2 506 1 627
0.0012 0.0028 0.0049
0 2 7
1500 1800 1800
0.0000 0.001 1 0.0038
* Skin-dose 2-4 R. ** Skin-dose max. 1 R. similar. The number of aberrations found after skin doses ranging between 1 and 4 R may be compared with the number obtained in lymphocytes irradiated in vitro with 15 R. The number of aberrations after the low skin doses were higher than expected. An increased number of chromosomal aberrations during the first 24 hours after in vivo irradiation was first reported by BUCKTON et COIL (1971), who analysed the effects of whole body irradiation with high doses. The present results are in full concordance with those of these authors. They assumed that the cells with chromosomal aberrations are liberated from lymphopoietic centers during the first 24 hours. Another possibility may be that the breaking and rejoining process continues during the first hours after irradiation and elevates the number of chromosomal aberrations. LINIECKI et coll. (1971), SASAKI (1971) and SASAKI et coll. (1970) have supposed that age has an influence on the radiation sensitivity of human chromosomes. SASAKI mentioned a higher increase of chromosomal aberrations after irradiation of lymphocytes of young children, i.e. in the first three years of age. The results presented by these authors were obtained after experimental in vitro irradiation. In the present material no age dependence in the numbers of chromosomal aberrations after in vivo irradiation was found. This may indicate that there is a difference between the sensitivity of cells in vitro and in vivo. Finally it map be concluded that common diagnostic irradiation induces chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes detectable by routine cytogenetic
INFLUENCE OF DIAGNOSTIC ROENTGEN DOSES
95
methods if a sufficiently high number of cells is analysed. In the age group between 8 months and 18 years there is no evident influence of age on the radiation sensitivity of human lymphocytes in vivo.
Acknowledgement We are grateful to Dr Vladimir MatouSek, from the Institute of Experimental Biology and Genetics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, for his assistance in the mathematical evaluation of our results.
SUMMARY Urography was performed in 2 groups of patients (one comprising patients aged 7-18 years, the other patients aged 8-32 months) under constant conditions. The skin dose ranged between 1 and 4 R. Blood samples were taken before, immediately after and 24 hours after the irradiation. A significantly increased number of aberrant cells was found only in the blood samples taken 24 hours after irradiation. N o age-dependent influence on the radiation sensitivity in vivo was found.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Es wurde eine Urographie bei zwei Gruppen von Patienten (die eine umfasste Patienten im Alter von 7 bis 18 Jahren, die andere Patienten im Alter von 8 bis 32 Monate) unter konstanten Bedingungen durchgefuhrt. Die Hautdosis Izg zwischen 1 und 4 R. Es wurden Blutproben vor, unmittelbar nach und 24 Stunden nach der Bestrahlung entnommen. Es wurde ein signifikanter Anstieg von aberranten Zellen nur in den Blut-Proben, die 24 24 Stunden nach der Bestrahlung entnommen wurden, gefunden. Es wurde kein altersabhangiger Einfluss der Strahlenempfindlichkeit in vivo gefunden.
RESUME Une urographie a t t t faite 2i deux groupes de malades (l’un comprenant des malades l g t s de 7 a 18 ans I’autre des maladps l g t s de 8 a 32 mois) dans des conditions constantes. La dose ZI la peau a varit entre 1 et 4 R. Des prelhvements sanguins ont t t t faits avant, immtdiatement aprhs et 24 heures aprhs l’irradiation. C’est seulement dans les prtlkvements sanguins pris 24 heures aprhs I’irradiation qu’on a trouvt une augmentation significative du nombre des cellules aberrantes. Les auteurs n’ont pas trouvt de variations de la radiosensibilitk in vivo en fonction de I’lge.
REFERENCES BLOOM A. D. and TJIOJ. H.: In vivo effects of diagnostic X-irradiation on human chromosomes. New Engl. J. Med. 270 (1964), 1341. BUCKTONK. E., LANGLANDS A. O., SMITHP. G. WOODCOCK G. E., LOOBYP. C. and McLELLAND J. : Further studies on chromosome aberration production after whole-body irradiation in man. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 19 (1971), 369.
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BUCKTON K. E. and EVANS H. J.: Methods for analysis of human chromosome aberrations. WHO, Geneva, 1973. D. A.: Leukocytes cultured from small inocula of whole blood and the prepHUNGERFORD aration of metaphase chromosomes by treatment with hypotonic KCI. Slain. Technol. 40 (1965), 333. H. J.: X-ray-induced chromoKU~EROVA M., ANDERSON A. J. B., BUCKTON K. E. and EVANS some aberrations in human peripheral blood leucocytes: the response to low levels of exposure in vitro. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 21 (1972), 389. J., BAJERSKA A. and ANDRYSZEK C. : Chromosome aberrations in human lymphoLINIECKI cytes irradiated in vitro from donors (males and females) of varying age. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 19 (1971), 349. A., DAVISL. A., KASAHARA S. and KELLY S.: Effects of diagnostic REISMAN L. E., JACOBSON X-rays on chromosomes in infants: A preliminary report. Radiology 89 (1967), 75. SASAKI M. S. : Radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes: Possible biological dosimeter in man. Biological aspects of radiation protection. Igaku Shoin, Tokyo (1971), 81. - TONOMURA A. and MATSUBA S.: Chromosome constitution and its bearing on the chromosomal radiosensitivity in man. Mutation. Res. 10 (1970), 617. UNSCEAR: Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Supplement No. 13. New York 1969.