A comparative investigation of the induction of double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) in the Chinese hamster V79 cells by γ-radiation at dose rates of 1, 10 and 400 mGy/min (doses ranged from 0.36 to 4.32 Gy) was performed. The acute radiation exposure at a dose rate of 400 mGy/min resulted in the linear dose-dependent increase of the γ-H2AX foci formation. The dose-response curve for the acute exposure was well described by a linear function y = 1.22 + 19.7x, where “y” is an average number of γ-H2AX foci per a cell and “x” is the absorbed dose (Gy). The dose rate reduction down to 10 mGy/min lead to a decreased number of γ-H2AX foci, as well as to a change of the dose-response relationship. Thus, the foci number up to 1.44 Gy increased and reached the “plateau” area between 1.44 and 4.32 Gy. There was only a slight increase of the γ-H2AX foci number (up to 7) in cells after the protracted exposure (up to 72 h) to ionizing radiation at a dose rate of 1 mGy/min. Similar effects of the varying dose rates were obtained when DNA damage was assessed using the comet assay. In general, our results show that the reduction of the radiation dose rate resulted in a significant decrease of DSBs per cell per an absorbed dose.
The DNA comet assay (neutral version) showed that irradiation of CHO cells in a dose of 1 Gy (gamma-radiation, (60)Co) is followed by an increase in the degree of DNA fragmentation. These changes were observed immediately after irradiation and on days 7-21. On days 2-4 and 23-28 after irradiation, the degree of DNA fragmentation in the descendants of irradiated cell did not differ from that in control samples. The increase in the degree of DNA fragmentation on days 7-21 probably results from induction of apoptosis. This assumption is confirmed by the study of cell death. The sensitivity of cells to repeated irradiation in a dose of 10 Gy significantly increased on days 9, 11, 16, and 18 after irradiation. However, these cells were resistant to repeated irradiation on days 21-28. Our results confirm the hypothesis that genomic instability is a selective mechanism, which mediates the formation of radioresistant cell clones.
The Vodnyi site in the Komi Republic of Russia represents a unique radioecological field site. The history of industrial operations associated with radioactivity here spans the period 1931 to 1956. Initial operations focused on the extraction of radium from groundwater [226Ra concentration up to 7, 840 pCi/L (290 Bq/L) ], In 1947, the extraction of uranium and radium from ores began. Radionuclide contamination in the Vodnyi region includes soils that had been in long-term contact with radium-rich groundwater, charcoal-and gypsum/anhydrite-bearing solid wastes associated with radium production from groundwater, and uranium/radium mill tailings. Environmental monitoring and radioecological investigations in the region began in 1957. Due to restrictive publication practices of the past, many of the radioecological studies done at the Vodnyi site have received limited attention outside the former Soviet Union (FSU), Our goal here is to introduce the Vodnyi site to a wider audience and to describe past and current investigations.
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