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Biomedical subjects

I K Khvostunov

Publications and source records attributed to I K Khvostunov.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Mechanistic modelling of genetic and epigenetic events in radiation carcinogenesis.

Methodological problems arise on the way of radiation carcinogenesis modelling with the incorporation of radiobiological and cancer biology mechanistic data. The results of biophysical modelling of different endpoints [DNA DSB induction, repair, chromosome aberrations (CA) and cell proliferation] are presented and applied to the analysis of RBE-LET relationships for radiation-induced neoplastic transformation (RINT) of C3H/10T1/2 cells in culture. Predicted values for some endpoints correlate well with the data. It is concluded that slowly repaired DSB clusters, as well as some kind of CA, may be initiating events for RINT. As an alternative interpretation, it is possible that DNA damage can induce RINT indirectly via epigenetic process. A hypothetical epigenetic pathway for RINT is discussed.

Alpha Particles↗

A cytogenetic follow-up of some highly irradiated victims of the Chernobyl accident.

A follow-up of 10 highly irradiated men, mostly reactor crew, from the Chernobyl accident is described. Their pre-accident medical conditions and relevant medical status approximately 10-13 y later are listed. A comparison is made between estimates of their average whole-body penetrating radiation doses derived from several biological parameters. First estimates were based on their presenting severity of prodromal sickness, early changes in blood cell counts and dicentric chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes. In three cases ESR measurements on tooth enamel were also made. Retrospective dosimetry using FISH translocations was attempted 10-13 y later. This showed good agreement for those patients with the lower earlier dose estimates, up to about 3 Gy. For the others, extending up to about 12 Gy, the translocations indicated lower values, suggesting that in these cases translocations had somewhat declined. Repeated chromosomal examinations during the follow-up period showed an expected decline in dicentric frequencies. The pattern of decline was bi-phasic with a more rapid first phase, with a half-life of approximately 4 months followed by a slower decline with half-lives around 2-4 y. The rapid phase persisted for a longer time in those patients who had received the highest doses. 10-13 y later dicentric levels were still above normal background, but well below the translocation frequencies.

Adult↗

Cytogenic investigations of serious overexposures to an industrial gamma radiography source.

This paper describes the sequence of events, medical aspects and dose estimations for two radiographers and their driver who were seriously exposed to an iridium-192 industrial radiography source that became detached from its wind-out cable. The men came to medical attention about 1 month later by which time all three were severely leucopenic and one had skin burns on both hands. Doses were estimated by (i) physics calculations combined with their accounts of the event. (ii) the levels of depression of their blood neutrophils, (iii) electron spin resonance on tooth enamel and (iv) blood lymphocyte chromosomal analyses by the conventional dicentric and the fluorescence in situ hybridisation methods. Intercomparison of these methods for estimating doses showed a good level of agreement. In brief, the averaged whole body dose for the most seriously exposed man was about 2.5-3.0 Gy and for the others it was 1.0-2.0 Gy.

Acute Disease↗

Biophysical analysis of radiation induced initial DNA fragmentation.

Production of double strand breaks (DSBs) and double-stranded DNA fragments after irradiation with high energy nitrogen ions was simulated with stochastic track generation and a high-order chromatin structure (HOCS) model representing a segment of interphase chromosome. The non-random distribution of DNA fragments is predicted for irradiation of HOCS. Agreement with the experimental data is obtained. The influence of HOCS and the role of the background component in DNA fragment distributions are discussed.

Biophysics↗

Novel data set for retrospective biodosimetry using both conventional and FISH chromosome analysis after high accidental overexposure.

Blood samples of ten Chernobyl and one non-Chernobyl victims were analysed both by conventional cytogenetics and by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using a cocktail of chromosomes 2, 3 and 8. The analysed group comprised men acutely irradiated mainly in 1986 and aged 26-47 years at the time of first blood sampling. All of them displayed acute radiation syndrome of varying severity. Chromosome analysis of the earliest blood samples was carried out by conventional scoring of unstable aberrations with the number of metaphases analysed per individual ranging from 35 to 300. Estimated individual doses ranged from 0.85 to 9.8 G y. After a 10 year delay, i.e. in 1996, blood samples were analysed both by conventional scoring of unstable aberrations and by FISH measurements of stable ones. Usually about 500 metaphases per individual were scored. Estimated by the FISH-method individual translocation (tc + ti) frequencies ranged from 2.2 to 116.8 per 100 cells full genome equivalent. Based on three different published dicentric dose response, in vitro curves individual doses were calculated from the earliest dicentric frequencies. A dose response curve for truly persisting translocations (tc + ti) was estimated over the range 1-10 Gy.

Adult↗

[Retrospective dose estimation in remote period after exposure using different biological methods].

Investigation of application of chromosome aberrations of lymphocytes in peripheral blood for biological dosimetry purposes in remote (up to 40 years) period after acute exposure to doses of 1 Gy and more was carried out. The comparative analysis of frequency of unstable and stable (using FISH and G-banding methods) aberrations was performed for 24 subjects accidentally exposed to radiation on nuclear submarines during 1961-1985. Statistically significant increasing of frequency of dicentrics and centric rings was determined in the exposed subjects in remote period after exposure to compare with controls. Their sum frequency in the exposed group varied depending on ARS heaviness from 0.1 to 1.0 aberrations per 100 cells. In control group it was from 0 to 0.2 correspondingly. Translocation frequency (complete + incomplete) fixed by FISH method (2, 4, and 12 chromosomes) varied within the limits of 0.2-16.0 for exposed subjects and 0.3-1.26 translocations per genome per 100 cells for controls. Some examined persons (5 subjects) exposed to accident in 1985 had results of analysis of unstable chromosome aberration in acute period after exposure that allow to estimate obtained doses by dicentrics frequency which having good correlation with ARS heaviness. Individual dosed using traslocation frequency were defined retrospectively in 11 from 21 exposed persons. They correlate with calculated physics doses and doses estimated by haematolotical parameters in acute period and also doses obtained by ESR spectroscopy of tooth enamel in remote period.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

[Results of dynamic cytogenetic study of children and teenagers living in areas, radioactive by contaminated after the Chernobyl accident].

Results of multiyear cytogenetic study of children and teenagers living in areas, radioactive by contaminated after Chernobyl accident, were adduced. Mean density of 137Cs contamination in two compared living areas were 111 and 200 kBq/m2 and mean external doses accumulated for 1986-2001 were 6.7 and 11.4 mGy correspondingly. Averaged thyroid doses receives by subjects of all age groups in the second area were approximately 1.5 times higher than in the first area; in the youngest group (0-1 year) the doses were 114.3 and 174.3 mGy. During 17 years cytogenetic investigation approximately from 30% to 60% of examined persons were observed the increased level of chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes of peripheral blood. Average frequency of unstable aberrations (acentrics, dicentrics and centric rings) constituted about 0.4 per 100 cells (0.22 per 100 cells in controls) during all period of observation. Level of marker aberrations (dicentrics and centric rings) was increased almost all times of study and varied within 0.04-0.19 per 100 cell (0.03 in control group). The parallel investigation of frequency of stable aberrations by FISH method showed up their level about 3 times exceeding observed dicentrics level. Comparably higher indexes of cytogenetic disturbances were revealed in group exposed in utero during period of accident.

Adolescent↗

[Comparative investigation of structural and gene somatic mutations in workers of nuclear chemical plants. I. A study of stable and unstable chromosome aberrations].

A study of frequency of unstable chromosome aberrations in 50 workers of nuclear chemical plants in remote period after beginning or finishing professional contact with ionizing radiation was carried out. 14 persons from this cohort were mainly whole-body exposed to external gamma-rays and 36 were exposed to combined external and internal radiation from incorporated Pu nuclides. In results of this irradiating practically every subject had a chronical radiation sickness. In the 1-st group the frequency of unstable aberrations varied from 0.2 to 3.6 per 100 cells and exceeded reliably control level in 5 persons. In the 2-nd group the frequency of unstable aberrations varied from 0 to 11.6 per 100 cells and exceeded reliably control level in 20 examined workers. The FISH study of frequency of stable aberrations was performed in 13 subjects who were exposed to combined external and internal radiation. Total frequency of complete and incomplete translocations varied from 0.6 to 18.5 aberrations per genome per 100 cells and reliable exceeded control level in 9 subjects. Non-random participation in exchange rearrangements (translocations) was revealed for used set of chromosomes (2, 3 and 8).

Adult↗

[Biophysical modeling of radiation induced genetic damage to cells].

The paper deals with the new approach for high accurate prediction of ionising radiation induced lesions of the cellular genetic structures. The previous techniques mainly were based on the assumption of the random radiation-induced breakage of the cellular DNA. They did not consider higher-order DNA organisation in the chromatin and in the interphase chromosomes. The paper discusses the new methods of the biophysical modelling of DNA breakage following high LET irradiation which takes into account the information on 3-dimensional structural organisation of DNA in interphase chromosomes. On this basis the influence of DNA organisation in the chromosomes on both dsb clusters induction and on repair were quantitatively studied, that was impossible by the means of previous computational techniques.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

[The comparative analysis of gene and structural somatic mutations in inhabitants of Orel district areas contaminated with radionuclides as a result of Chernobyl accident].

The results of comparative analysis of gene and structural mutations found in peripheral blood lymphocytes of inhabitants of Orel district areas contaminated with radionuclides as a result of Chernobyl accident are presented. The average level of 137Cs contamination in those areas ranged about 22-113 kBq/m2. In the study group was found the enhanced frequency of somatic cells with gene and structural mutations compared with laboratory control level by synchronous applying a T-cell receptor (TCR) loci mutation assay and cytogenetic analysis of unstable aberrations. The case-control comparison was carried out using the measured mutation frequencies and cases of various thyroid gland sickness recognized by ultrasonic examination. The cytogenetic assay did not show the statistical difference between healthy group and subjects with thyroid gland sickness. The average frequency of TCR loci mutation cells in the subjects with thyroid gland sickness was found to be statistically higher comparing with healthy persons. This finding was true for each study region and for Orel district in total. The subgroup of subject exposed in utero in 1986, soon after accident was analyzed. Both cytogenetic and TCR loci mutation assays shown enhancement of average mutation frequency in somatic cells in the subjects of this subgroup with thyroid gland sickness comparing with healthy persons.

Cesium Radioisotopes↗

[The comparison of molecular-biochemical and cytogenetic analyses of blood cells of patients long after the acute radiation sickness].

Molecular-biochemical and cytogenetic analyses were made on blood cells of 17 radiation accident victims who, from 1.7 to 43.8 years previously, had suffered acute radiation sickness (ARS) ranging from severity grades I to IV. Molecular-biochemical data were obtained with patients' leukocytes and with mononuclear cells on their oxidative status by a) the level of an anion-radical O2*- in the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and b) the sum of reactive oxygen species in the 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) test together with a test for DNA strand unwinding in alkaline conditions by measurements of fluorescence intensity of ethidium bromide. Each parameter was measured in freshly sampled cells and during a 5-hour incubation as absolute means on 5 measurements and in % change from the initial values. Cytogenetic data were obtained from the standard metaphase preparations scored for routine unstable chromosomal aberrations (us-CA)--dicentrics; and stable aberrations (sCA)--translocations. The latter ones were assayed by the FISH method using whole chromosome 2, 4 and 12 fluorescent probes and scaled up to genome equivalence. For all patients reduced oxidative status of about 25-30% was obtained by the MTT-test (p < 0.005), and the DCFDA-test (p < 0.027). The yield of usCA depended on the time after irradiation with higher yields associated with the shorter postirradiation times and reducing almost to expected background frequencies. The yield of sCA was high for all patients, correlating with the severity of ARS whilst the molecular-biochemical parameters showed no relationship with ARS. A correlation was observed between parameters of oxidative status and % of cells with usCA: by the MTT-test r = from 0.50 up to 0.61 (p = from 0.06 up to 0.003), but by the DCFDA-test the strength of correlation was smaller: r = from 0.38 up to 0.48. An inverse correlation was found between initial oxidative state of mononuclear cells and the frequency of CA in lymphocytes. Similarly a marked inverse correlation between degree of DNA unwinding by the ethidium bromide assay on leukocytes and sCA in lymphocytes was also noted. The feasibility of radiation-induced delayed genomic instability in vivo for humans long time after irradiation is discussed.

Chromosome Aberrations↗