Follow-up studies on genome damage in children after Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident

Abstract

As children are more susceptible to ionizing radiation than adults, each nuclear accident demands special attention and care of this vulnerable population. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred in a region populated with a large number of children, but despite all efforts and expertise of nuclear specialists, it was not possible to avoid casualties. As vast regions of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia were exposed to doses of ionizing radiation, which are known to be related with different diseases, shortly after the accident medical surveillance was launched, which also included analysis of genome damage. Child population affected by internal and external radiation consisted of subjects exposed prenatally, postnatally (both evacuated and non-evacuated), born by irradiated fathers who worked as liquidators, and parents exposed environmentally. In all groups of children during the last 30 years who were exposed to doses which were significantly higher than that recommended for general population of 1 mSv per year, increased genome damage was detected. Increased genome damage includes statistically higher frequency of dicentric and ring chromosomes, chromated and chromosome breaks, acentric fragments, translocations, and micronuclei. The presence of rogue cells confirmed internal contamination. Genome instability and radiosensitivity in children was detected both in evacuated and continuously exposed children. Today the population exposed to ionizing radiation in 1986 is in reproductive period of life and follow-up of this population and their offspring is of great importance. This review aims to give insight in results of studies, which reported genome damage in children in journals without language restrictions.

Heritable effects in offspring associated with harmful exposure to parents (Literature review)

“…A. Fucic et al [35] в обзорной статье о повреждениях генома среди детей ликвидаторов аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС и потомков лиц, проживавших на загрязненной территории, описывают статистически более высокую частоту дицентрических и кольцевых хромосом, хромосомных разрывов, ацентрических фрагментов, транслокаций и микроядер, чем в контроле.…”

Carcinógenos ambientales asociados a cáncer infantil

“…Investigaciones en la población infantil tras el desastre nuclear de Chernobyl concluyen que las consecuencias por sobreexposición a la radiación ionizante incluyen trastornos inmunológicos, enfermedades cardiovasculares y aumento del riesgo a neoplasias, principalmente leucemias, cáncer de mama, tiroides, piel y cerebro, debido a una mayor tasa de división celular, tejidos más blandos, órganos más contiguos, mayor susceptibilidad a factores ambientales y menor diámetro corporal (17)(18)(19)(20) .…”

Reproductive Effects of Exposure to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation: A Long-Term Follow-Up of Immigrant Women Exposed to the Chernobyl Accident

“…Most of the civilian populations were exposed to multiple pathways over time [1,2]. Cancer, primarily thyroid cancer, has been documented among exposed cohorts [3,4].…”

“…One major concern among Chernobyl-exposed populations, was worry over reproductive health, congenital malformations and genetic damage among offspring [ 4 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The anticipated excess increase in stillbirths and congenital malformations was not found in all studies of Chernobyl-exposed women and children [ 4 , 17 , 18 , 21 , 22 ]. However, a recent review concluded that genetic damage was evident in some of the exposed populations, particularly if the parents were exposed to high doses stemming from on-site exposure among liquidators or if the children continued to be exposed over many years [ 4 ].…”