Evaluation of Measuring Radiation-Induced Apoptosis in Human T-Lymphocytes by Flow Cytometry as a Biological Dosimetry System

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center AND Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 PhD Student, Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences AND Lecturer, Department of Physics, School of Sciences, Malek-Ashtar University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

4 PhD Student, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

5 Central Research Lab, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

6 Associate Professor, Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

7 Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: In events such as a nuclear explosion or leakage of radioactive material from nuclear power dungeons or other events in nuclear medicine departments in hospitals, many people accidentally receive an unspecified amount of ionizing radiation. First step to treat is evaluation of radiation dose received by the victims. In such situation and in radiotherapy program, dosimetry is used for evaluation of treatment planning. Some measurable biological indexes used for evaluation of dose of radiation. Some measurable biological indexes can be used in biological dosimetry to measure the radiation dose and estimate the radiation effect.Methods: In this study, the test for biological dosimetry based on apoptosis induced by gamma radiation in peripheral blood T-lymphocytes was performed in 16 volunteers. The blood lymphocytes were isolated and cultured in RPMI (Roswell Park Memorial Institute) 1640 medium and then, were placed in 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37°C. Then, the samples were prepared from the culture medium and radiated with different doses of gamma radiation. Sample transferred to incubator again to measure their apoptosis. Radiation-induced apoptosis in the cell population was measured by flow cytometry using Annexin V + fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and prodidium iodide (PI) stains.Findings: Radiation induced apoptosis was measureable with enough precision. But measured apoptosis depended on delay time after irradiation and protocole of flow cytometry.Conclusion: The results of this study show that it is possible to use radiation for measuring apoptosis as a biological dosimeter in a short time after radiation exposure in the events such as a nuclear explosion or leakage of radioactive material.

Keywords


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