Alteration of Cytokine Profiles in Uranium Miners Exposed to Long-Term Low Dose Ionizing Radiation

Abstract

Objective. The aim of the study is to estimate the immune function through cytokine profiles in sera of uranium mines. Methods. Antibody arrays were used to detect 50 cytokines in sera of uranium miners. Miners who had continuously worked underground for <5 years were treated as control group and those who worked for ⩾5 years as experimental group. Results. Of 28 measurable cytokines, the release of IL-1α, IL-1RI, IL-15, IL-3, and IP-10 were significantly upregulated in the experimental group, and no cytokine was found significantly downregulated. Other proinflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, and TNFα levels were slightly upregulated in the experimental group. With adjustment to age, BMI, and cigarette smoking, IL-1α and IL-3 levels increased significantly with underground time. Conclusion. Alteration of cytokine profiles in this study may indicate persistent inflammatory responses in uranium miners exposed to long-term low doses radiation.

Same pollution sources for climate change might be hyperactivating the NLRP3 inflammasome and exacerbating neuroinflammation and SARS mortality

“…Li et al [17] studied the workers exposed to natural background radiation from uranium mines in China where high concentrations of indoor Radon-222 exists. They separate subjects in two different categories: a “control group” worked underground for <5 years and the “experiment group” working underground for ⩾5 years.…”

Plasma Proteins As Biodosimetric Markers of Low-Dose Radiation in Mice

“…Multiple studies have suggested that LDR triggers organ- or tissue-specific responses in humans and mice, including dysregulation of the immune system, 6 , 12 kidneys, 22 and other organs. Some reports indicated that the levels of proteins/cytokines, 5 , 7 metabolites, 13 , 14 and nucleic acids 23 in the plasma and tissues are altered after LDR, which may be useful biodosimetric markers for LDR.…”

“…Moreover, the expression of plasma IL-5, IL-12p40, SELP, and SAA1 was altered in response to LDR dose. Some of these proteins, including IL-5 5 and IL-10, 5 , 7 , 12 have been reported to be upregulated during LDR, and IL-12p40 25 and SAA1 21 are altered after exposure to radiation and correlated with radiation damage, whereas SELP 26 and MMP14 27 , 28 are involved in radiation-induced pathological processes. These results suggest that the proteins play roles in regulating LDR-induced tissue damage and can serve as dosimetric indicators of LDR.…”

“…In recent years, exposure of the general population to low-dose radiation (LDR) has increased remarkably, such as during airport security checks or medical radiographic inspection. 1 - 4 Long-term exposure to LDR may trigger several specific biological responses that differ from those induced by high-dose radiation (HDR), including dysregulation of the immune and inflammatory systems 5 - 8 ; downregulation of free radical scavengers and enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase 9 ; and DNA damage, which indicates tissue dysfunction and a risk of carcinogenesis. 10 Biodosimetry of LDR may be useful for revealing whether radiation protection is required or for predicting possible health issues, such as an increased risk of carcinogenesis.…”

Concerted Uranium Research in Europe (CURE): toward a collaborative project integrating dosimetry, epidemiology and radiobiology to study the effects of occupational uranium exposure

“…Obtaining agreements from stakeholders for molecular epidemiology studies (employers, doctors, workers, workers' representatives) can be challenging, although previous experiences demonstrated that it is feasible (Zolzer et al 2012b, Abilmazhinova et al 2014, Li et al 2014, Takhauov et al 2015. Biological sampling is only possible if there is interest in and support of, the project by the workers who would provide biological samples, and also the medical centres where samples are intended to be collected.…”