Chromosome aberrations as a biological dose-response indicator of radiation exposure in uranium miners

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Radiat. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3574935· OSTI ID:6629637

Brandom, W F; Saccomanno, G; Archer, V E; Archer, P G; Bloom, A D

Cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of controls and uranium miners were analyzed for the prevalence of structural chromosomal aberrations. The frequency data are compared between controls and five groups of miners with exposures expressed in working level months (WLM). The results demonstrate: (i) the prevalence of dicentrics + rings is not a good biological dose-response indicator; (ii) there is a marked decrease in the prevalence of deletions or dicentrics + rings + deletions in the most highly exposed individuals (Group V; >3000 WLM); (iii) apart from the Group V results, all aberration categories except dicentrics + rings demonstrate a significant and monotonic biological response increasing uniformly with estimated radiation dose through Group IV (1740 to 2890 WLM); (iv) including Group V individuals, the aberration category which shows the most consistent pattern of increase with dose is the pericentric inversions + translocations grouping (Spearman's r/sub s/ = 0.943; P = 0.01); (v) excepting dicentrics + rings, the prevalence of chromosome aberrations is a sensitive biological indicator of low-level uranium miner irradiation; and (vi) significant (P = 0.01) differences in the prevalence of chromosome aberrations are observed between miners with regular to mildly atypical bronchial cell cytology and those with markedly atypical cells to carcinoma in situ. A marked increase in the prevalence of chromosome aberrations is probably a valid indicator of health risk in the miner groups. The relevance of the chromosome aberrations test for individual miners is more difficult to assess, but the absence of a high frequency of aberrations in an individual cannot be construed as a lack of risk. The application of radiation cytogenetic monitoring to other populations potentially exposed to high doses of radon daughters is discussed.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Denver, CO
• OSTI ID: 6629637
• Journal Information: Radiat. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Radiat. Res.; (United States) Vol. 76:1; ISSN RAREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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