Dynamics of lymphocyte membrane in Chernobyl clean-up workers with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most crippling diseases that man has seen and its prevalence has risen dramatically over the past two decades. Currently there are over the 150 million diabetics worldwide and this number is likely to increase to 300 million or more by the year 2025. Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of many disorders including cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the molecular properties of diabetic progression is a big challenge in systems-biology era. Methods: The 3-aminobenzanthrone derivative ABM, developed at the Daugavpils University, Latvia, has been previously shown as a potential biomarker for determination of the immune state of patients with different pathologies. The aim of this study was to determine the several aspects of membrane alterations in the group of Chernobyl clean-up workers with diabetes mellitus in relation with its common group without diabetes mellitus and humans having no professional contact with radioactivity. The following parameters were examined: (1) the spectral characteristics of ABM in cell suspension (e.g. anisotropy index); (2) quantitative parameters of protein/lipid interaction in liposomes prepared from phosphatidylcholine and its mixtures with cardiolipin and cholesterol. Results: Screening of the individuals with diabetes mellitus 25-26 years after the work in Chernobyl revealed two groups of patients differing in structural and functional membrane properties, first of all on the lipid/protein interrelations and conformations of membrane proteins. The revealed structural modifications of membranes are dependent on radiation-induced factors. Concomitant diseases (diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases) reinforce radiation induced effects. Conclusion: ABM is a sensitive probe of membrane architecture alterations, and can be used to elucidate the changes in membrane systems. Significant differences in membrane dynamics exist between control (donors), and diabetics and non-diabetics groups of Chernobyl clean-up workers [J Exp Integr Med 2012; 2(4): 357-363

Immune state of patients: detection using fluorescent response

“…Radiation effect [18][19][20][21] Around 6000 inhabitants (20-49 years old) of Latvia took part in clean-up works in Chernobyl in 1986-1991. Most of them were officially documented as recipients of ionizing radiation exposure 0-50 cGy.…”

“…Measuring ABM characteristics in blood plasma could potentially be a useful tool to estimate the immune state of patients in clinical immunological screenings. [20,21] Alterations of Blood Plasma Albumin in Chernobyl Clean-up Workers with and without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes mellitus has been one of the most crippling diseases that man has seen; and its the number of people suffering from it has risen dramatically over the past two decades.…”

Radiation-modified albumin in type 2 diabetic patients

“…Like in earlier studies, the present investigations were performed using the ABM fluorescent probe [9][10][11][12]13] developed in Daugavpils University. In the current study, blood plasma (200-fold diluted) incubated without probe was used in each experiment as each patient's personal 'blank'.…”

“…The lymphocyte membrane and albumin of Chernobyl clean-up workers was examined using ABM probe in 1996-1997 and re-examined in 2006-2007 on the same individuals [5,8,9]. The changes in cell membrane system of Chernobyl cleanup workers with type 2 diabetes mellitus are described in our previous article [10]. Screening revealed two groups of patients differing in structural and functional membrane properties, first of all the lipid/protein interrelations and conformations of membrane proteins.…”