Unusual dose--response of chromosome abberrations induced in human lymphocytes by very low dose exposures to tritium

Eurados review of retrospective dosimetry techniques for internal exposures to ionising radiation and their applications

This work presents an overview of the applications of retrospective dosimetry techniques in case of incorporation of radionuclides. The fact that internal exposures are characterized by a spatially inhomogeneous irradiation of the body, which is potentially prolonged over large periods and variable over time, is particularly problematic for biological and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry methods when compared with external exposures. The paper gives initially specific information about internal dosimetry methods, the most common cytogenetic techniques used in biological dosimetry and EPR dosimetry applied to tooth enamel. Based on real-case scenarios, dose estimates obtained from bioassay data as well as with biological and/or EPR dosimetry are compared and critically discussed. In most of the scenarios presented, concomitant external exposures were responsible for the greater portion of the received dose. As no assay is available which can discriminate between radiation of different types and different LETs on the basis of the type of damage induced, it is not possible to infer from these studies specific conclusions valid for incorporated radionuclides alone. The biological dosimetry assays and EPR techniques proved to be most applicable in cases when the radionuclides are almost homogeneously distributed in the body. No compelling evidence was obtained in other cases of extremely inhomogeneous distribution. Retrospective dosimetry needs to be optimized and further developed in order to be able to deal with real exposure cases, where a mixture of both external and internal exposures will be encountered most of the times.

The effect of the beta-emitting yttrium-90 citrate on the dose-response of dicentric chromosomes in human lymphocytes: a basis for biological dosimetry after radiosynoviorthesis

The production of dicentric chromosomes in human lymphocytes by beta-particles of yttrium-90 (Y-90) was studied in vitro to provide a basis of biological dosimetry after radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) of persistent synovitis by intra-articular administration of yttrium-90 citrate colloid. Since the injected colloid may leak into the lymphatic drainage exposing other parts of the body to radiation, the measurement of biological damage induced by beta-particles of Y-90 is important for the assessment of radiation risk to the patients. A linear dose-response relationship (alpha = 0.0229 +/- 0.0028 dicentric chromosomes per cell per gray) was found over the dose range of 0.2176-2.176 Gy. The absorbed doses were calculated for exposure of blood samples to Y-90 activities from 40 to 400 kBq using both Monte Carlo simulation and an analytical model. The maximum low-dose RBE, the RBE(M) which is equivalent to the ratio of the alpha coefficients of the dose-response curves, is well in line with published results obtained earlier for irradiation of blood of the same donor with heavily filtered 220 kV X-rays (3.35 mm copper), but half of the RBE(M) relative to weakly filtered 220 kV X-rays. Therefore, it can be concluded that for estimating an absorbed dose during RSO by the technique of biological dosimetry, in vitro and in vivo data for the same radiation quality are necessary.

Proliferative response of bystander cells adjacent to cells with incorporated radioactivity

BACKGROUND

In a recent study, we showed that cells irradiated with gamma-rays stimulate cell growth of unirradiated (bystander) cells, when the two populations are co-cultured as a mixture. Direct cell-to-cell contact appears to be a prerequisite for the proliferative response of the bystander cells. The aim of the current work is to investigate the possible proliferative bystander effects caused by intracellular irradiation with incorporated radionuclides, specifically the short-range beta particle emitter, tritium ((3)H).

METHODS

Subconfluent monolayers of rat liver epithelial cells (WB-F344) were incubated in the presence of (methyl-(3)H)thymidine ((3)HTdR) at concentrations ranging between 5.2 kBq/ml and 57.8 kBq/ml for 18 h. Radiolabeled cells, containing between 0.7 x 10(-3) Bq/cell and 8.8 x 10(-3) Bq/cell were mixed with unlabeled (i.e., bystander) cells in a ratio of 1:1 and cultured together for 24 h followed by an flow cytometry (FCM) study of their proliferation. In order to discriminate the two populations of co-cultured cells, one cell population (unlabeled bystander cells) was stained with carboxyfluorescein diacetate, succinimidyl ester (CFDA SE), which metabolizes intracellularly. The absorbed doses received by the radiolabeled cells that contained 0.7 x 10(-3), 2.5 x 10(-3), and 8.8 x 10(-3) Bq/cell were 0.14, 0.49, and 1.7 Gy, respectively.

RESULTS

Cells that were not treated with tritiated thymidine (unlabeled cells), in the presence of radiolabeled cells that received absorbed doses from 0.14-1.7 Gy, showed enhanced cell growth by approximately 9 to 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

Cells labeled with (3)HTdR can induce increased proliferation in neighboring unlabeled bystander cells. FCM provides an excellent basis for characterization of proliferative bystander effects in co-culture systems.

Relative biological effectiveness and dose rate effect of tritiated water on chromosomes in human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells

Tritiated water (HTO) is a major toxic effluent from the nuclear power industry, that is released into the environment in large quantities. The low dose radiation effect and dose rate effect of HTO on human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells have not been well studied. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the HTO dose-response relationship for chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells at low in vitro radiation doses ranging from 0.1 to 1 Gy. Lymphocytes (G0 stage) and bone marrow cells were incubated for 10-150 min with HTO at a dose rate of 2 cGy/min (555 MBq/ml). The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of HTO was calculated with respect to 60Co gamma-rays for the induction of dicentric and centric ring chromosomes at low radiation doses. The RBE value for HTO beta-rays relative to 60Co gamma-rays was 2.7 for lymphocytes and 3.1 for chromatid aberrations in bone marrow cells. Lymphocytes were also chronically exposed to HTO for 6.7-80 h at dose rates of 0.5 cGy/min (138.5 MBq/ml) and 0.02 cGy/min (5.6 MBq/ml). There was a 71.5% decrease in the yield of dicentrics and centric rings at the dose rate of 0.02 cGy/min, indicating a clear dose rate effect of HTO. The RBE value for HTO relative to 137Cs gamma-rays was 2.0 at a dose rate of 0.02 cGy/min, suggesting that low HTO dose rates produce no increase of the RBE values and that the values may be constant between 2 and 3 within these dose rates. These results should prove useful in assessment of the health risk for humans exposed to low levels of HTO.

Chromosome aberrations induced by tritiated water or 60Co gamma-rays at early pronuclear stage in mouse eggs

The induction of chromosome aberrations in mouse eggs by exposure to HTO beta-particles and 60Co gamma-rays at the early pronuclear stage was examined at the first-cleavage metaphase by using an in vitro fertilization technique. Eggs at the pronuclear stage were exposed to beta-particles in a chemically defined medium containing tritiated water (HTO) for 2 h at 3-5 h after insemination. Other eggs at the same stage were exposed to gamma-rays from 60Co during the same period. The dose-response relationships for frequencies of chromosome aberrations per egg were fitted to a linear-quadratic model for HTO beta-particles, and to a linear model for 60Co gamma-rays. The chromosome aberrations were mainly chromosome-type, and the majority of all aberrations were fragments. RBE values of HTO beta-particles relative to 60Co gamma-rays and acute X-rays, which were estimated from the ratio of the linear regression coefficients over 0.05-Gy range, were 2.0 and 1.6, respectively.

Sister chromatid exchanges in bone marrow cells of mice maintained on tritiated water

The ability of tritium to induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) has been investigated in male mice of the Hale-Stoner-Brookhaven strain maintained on drinking water containing 3.0 microCi/ml tritiated water (HTO). At selected intervals after 28-261 days of consuming HTO, the frequency of SCEs and the kinetics of cellular proliferation were measured in bone marrow cells of animals maintained on HTO, and in age-matched control groups, by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labelling methods. A statistically significant (1 percent level) elevation of SCEs was observed after 81, 163, 192, 247 and 261 days of HTO ingestion. The frequency of induced SCEs increased linearly with the ingestion time. These results are of particular interest since ionizing radiation is generally not considered to be an efficient inducer of SCEs.

Adaptive response of human lymphocytes to low concentrations of radioactive thymidine

When human lymphocytes were cultured with [3H]thymidine, which acts as a source of low-level chronic radiation, and then exposed to 150 rad of x-rays at 5, 7, 9, or 11 hours before fixation, the yield of chromatid aberrations was less than the sum of the yields of aberrations induced by [3H]thymidine and x-rays separately. Often fewer aberrations were found after exposure to radiation from both sources than were found after exposure to x-rays alone. At the same fixation times, nonradioactive thymidine did not affect the yield of x-ray-induced aberrations. The same phenomenon occurred at earlier fixation times, after exposure to 30 or 40 rad of x-rays and [3H]thymidine. This response is analogous to the adaptive response to alkylating agents whereby prior treatment with small doses for a long period reduces the damage occurring from large doses of similar agents given for a short time.

The dose absorbed by lymphocytes irradiated in vitro with tritiated water

A simple method of irradiating cells in vitro with beta particles is to add the beta-emitter to a cell suspension; various dosimetric aspects of this procedure have been investigated. It is shown that, due to the different water content of the various constituents of a blood cell suspension, the average dose D beta absorbed by a certain type of cells for a tritium nominal concentration Co and an irradiation time t is given by D beta(t) = KEnCo eta t. Typical values of the factor eta are calculated for lymphocytes. A series of experiments has demonstrated that whilst the uptake phase has negligible effect on the dose, a significant error may arise during washing-out because a proportion of the activity remains in the cells.

The incidence of unstable chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes from unirradiated and occupationally exposed people

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from unirradiated control subjects and workers exposed within permitted limits to gamma-radiation, have been examined for the incidence of dicentric and acentric chromosome aberrations. The results are compared with a review of data published elsewhere. Background levels show inter-laboratory variation and possible reasons for this are discussed. By combining the present data with those from the literature the spontaneous incidence of dicentric aberrations in approx. 0.55 X 10(-3) and for acentrics is 3.7 X 10(-3). In occupationally exposed subjects a significantly higher incidence of aberrations was found. When allowance was made for the turnover of lymphocytes for the period over which each man had worked with radiation a linear dose--effect relationship was apparent. The incidence of dicentrics was 2.22 +/- 0.94 X 10(-4) rad-1 and for all unstable aberrations 8.24 +/- 2.8 X 10(-4) rad-1. These are in reasonable agreement with dose--response data obtained in vitro.