Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effects of gamma irradiation on the structure and function of human hemoglobin

Journal Article · · Radiat. Res., v. 65, no. 1, pp. 50-59
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3574286· OSTI ID:4023709

In this paper physicochemical and functional properties of irradiated aqueous hemoglobin solutions are presented. HbO$sub 2$ solutions (5 percent) were irradiated in air with doses ranging from 0.5 to 5 Mrad at the efficiency of 1 Mrad/hr. At doses exceeding 1 Mrad, coagulation of small amounts of protein was observed. Hemoglobin which remained in the solution consisted of a mixture of HbO$sub 2$ and MetHb. At doses of 4 and 5 Mrad the presence of hemochromogen was established. The appropriate hydrodynamic parameters--molecular weight, sedimentation constant, and limiting viscosity value--do not differ from the control values up to a dose of 1 Mrad. At greater doses sedimentation constants and the limiting viscosity number increase. The decrease in the values of the second virial coefficient and the electrophoretic behavior in polyacrylamide gel suggest some changes in the electric charge of the molecules. Simultaneously, a considerable part of the molecules exhibits an increased affinity for oxygen and a decreased heme--heme interaction. (auth)

Research Organization:
Univ., Lodz, Poland
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-33-026135
OSTI ID:
4023709
Journal Information:
Radiat. Res., v. 65, no. 1, pp. 50-59, Journal Name: Radiat. Res., v. 65, no. 1, pp. 50-59; ISSN RAREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English