Flow Cytometry Measurements of Subsets of T, B and NK Cells in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Atomic Bomb Survivors

Abstract

Previous studies of blood cells from atomic bomb survivors have shown that frequencies of chromosome aberrations and somatic mutations are elevated in heavily exposed survivors and that T-cell functions and the number of mature T cells are decreased in the survivors who were exposed to radiation as adults. Current progress in flow cytometry allows a sophisticated analysis of various subsets of T, B and NK cells. In the present study, proportions of such subsets in peripheral blood lymphocytes from atomic bomb survivors (159 survivors estimated to be exposed to > or =1.5 Gy) and 252 controls were measured using multiple combinations of monoclonal antibodies to lymphocyte differentiation antigens to investigate whether the previous radiation exposure had altered the composition of the subsets. Among T-cell subsets, the proportion of CD4+ T-cell subsets was decreased significantly in the heavily exposed survivors; this tendency was apparent for the CD4+CD45RA+ naive T-cell subset. However, there were no significant differences in the proportions of CD8+ T-cell subsets between the exposed survivors and controls. As for the B-cell subsets, the proportion of both CD5+ and CD5 B cells as well as CD23+ and CD23- B cells increased in the heavily exposed survivors. Further, no effect of radiation was found in the proportion of NK-cell subsets. These results strongly suggest that previous radiation exposure altered the composition of T and B cells in the peripheral blood of atomic bomb survivors, and they raise the possibility that atomic bomb radiation may have affected the developmental processes of T and B cells.

Levels of Antibodies to Microorganisms Implicated in Atherosclerosis and of C-Reactive Protein among Atomic Bomb Survivors

“…In a previously reported study, the B-cell proportion was observed to increase in A-bomb survivors who were heavily exposed to radiation (40), although the number of subjects (N ¼ 411) was much smaller than in the current study and the metabolic profiles of the subjects were not considered. A limitation of the current study may thus involve the heterogeneity of the peripheral B-cell population, which was not considered.…”

“…A limitation of the current study may thus involve the heterogeneity of the peripheral B-cell population, which was not considered. Radiation exposure and metabolic status may differentially influence distinct B-cell subpopulations (5,40,41), i.e., immature or mature B cells and functionally different subsets of B cells, such as follicular (conventional), marginal zone and B-1 B cells. Therefore, a potential way to clarify the biological significance of the interactions observed in this study would be to assess a more diverse subset of B cells, as specific subsets may prove to be more closely associated with radiation exposure or metabolic profiles.…”

Thymoquinone Rescues T Lymphocytes from Gamma Irradiation-Induced Apoptosis and Exhaustion by Modulating Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels and PD-1, Bax, and Bcl-2 Signaling

“…Significant decreases in naïve T cells have been observed in atomic bomb survivors [67]. The decreased proportion of CD4 + naïve T cells were attributed to reduced T cell responses to mitogens and proliferation [68]. By contrast, TQ supplementation ameliorated the decrease in the proportions of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells following exposure to gamma-irradiation.…”

Circulatory disease mortality in the Massachusetts tuberculosis fluoroscopy cohort study

“…Dose-related variations in T cell and B-cell populations in Japanese atomic-bomb survivors suggest that radiation may harm the immune system [34] at doses > 1.5 Gy, implying that whole-body or RBM dose might be the most relevant to the radiation effects of the associated systems. Although other evidence implicates infections and the immune system in cardiovascular disease [19,35,36], the negative findings of two randomized-controlled trials of antibiotic administration [37,38] suggest that bacterial infection is not likely involved in circulatory disease.…”