Chromosome Aberrations in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Croatian Hospital Staff Occupationally Exposed to Low Levels of Ionising Radiation

Abstract

Medical staff is an occupational group exposed to different agents suspected to induce genetic damage. Among them ionising radiation is the most studied. Cytogenetic analysis of human chromosomes in peripheral lymphocytes allows direct detection of mutation in somatic cells. This study investigated the cytogenetic effects of low-level ionising x-radiation in 48-hour peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures sampled from 765 hospital staff occupationally exposed to several agents known or suspected to induce chromosome damage and compared them with 200 control subjects. The exposed subjects were divided in eight (8) groups according to their specialities and job titles. The exposed groups manifested an increase in all types of chromosome aberrations. Acentric fragments were the most frequent chromosome-type aberration. Dicentric chromosomes were statistically significant only in urologists/gynaecologists. Age and smoking significantly influenced the incidence of dicentrics in the exposed groups. The frequency of ring chromosomes was low in all exposed groups (range: 0-2), and none were found in the control group. These findings indicate the importance of periodic medical checkups of hospital staff occupationally exposed to low doses of ionising radiation. The purpose is to create an individual cytogenetic register, where changes could evidence individual risks.

Cytogenetic evaluation of cataract patients occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in northeast China

“…The cumulative effects of low-level chronic IR exposure are higher for those occupationally exposed to IR (Saberi et al, 2013). Similar to previous studies (Barquinero et al, 1993;Kasuba et al, 2008;Milacic, 2009b;Han et al, 2014), we found that chromosomal aberrations were significantly elevated in the exposed patients as compared with that in the non-exposed patients.…”

“…Cytogenetic studies have demonstrated that low levels of chronic radiation exposure can potentially increase the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and aneuploidy in somatic cells (Kasuba et al, 2008). Ciraj-Bjelac et al (2012) reported radiation-associated posterior lens changes in the eyes of interventional cardiology staff.…”

Chromosomal aberrations and oxidative DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine as biomarkers of radiotoxicity in radiation workers

“…Cytogenetic studies in radiation workers have demonstrated an increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in comparison to non-exposed individuals. These chromosomal aberrations are the result of an erroneous repair of the DNA lesions produced by radiation (Ballardi et al, 2007;Kasuba, Rozgaj, & Jazbec, 2008).…”

Approach to estimate mutagenic effect of polluted water by cytogenetic method on bioindicator species Asellus aquaticus (Isopoda)

“…В тоже время, спонтанный (кон-трольный) уровень митотических нарушений, выявляемых ана-телофазным методом у водяного ослика, сопоставим с таковыми в лимфоцитах у человека (Marcon et al, 2003) и в спленоцитах домовой мыши (Tanaka et al, 2008) на стадии метафазы. Выявляемое метафазным методом по-вышение уровня хромосомных аберраций (ХА) в клет-ках крови людей из групп риска (например, у различных категорий медперсонала госпиталей, допустимая нако-пленная доза ≤ 50 мЗв/год) в 3-5 раз, по сравнению со спонтанным уровнем, рассматривается как нежелатель-ное (Kasuba et al, 2008;Zakeri, Hirobe, 2008 г -отличие от варианта «10,0» достоверно (критерий χ 2 , P < 0,05); N -число проанализированных клеток; n -число клеток с перестройками.…”