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Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
Published on: July 3, 2015
Transient cell function disruption by low dose acute exposure of ionizing radiation
Priyanka Saxena1, Aseem Bhatnagar, Dhruv Kumar Nishad
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Defence R&D Organisation, Brig. SK Mazumdar Marg, Delhi 110 054, India.
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 13, 2012
Summary
Low doses of thallium-201 (201Tl) and iodine-131 (131I) caused a temporary cell membrane dysfunction, affecting the Na+-K+ ATPase pump. This unexpected finding in BMG-1 cells may explain
Area of Science:
- Nuclear medicine
- Cellular biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Thallium-201 (201Tl) uptake in BMG-1 cells deviates from expected curves.
- Conventional radionuclides like technetium-99m pertechnetate (99mTcO4(-)) and technetium-99m labeled methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) exhibit biphasic uptake patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unexpected uptake pattern of 201Tl in BMG-1 cells.
- To compare the uptake dynamics of 201Tl and 131I with conventional radiotracers.
- To elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the observed phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo gamma scintigraphy.
- NMR spectroscopy (proton NMR) to analyze cellular metabolites.
- Flow cytometry to assess cell viability.
Main Results:
- BMG-1 cells showed a four-phase uptake pattern with 201Tl, unlike the biphasic pattern with 99mTc-MIBI.
- 201Tl did not induce cell injury as per flow cytometry.
- NMR revealed a transient decrease in choline and phosphoethanolamine levels in 201Tl-treated animals, indicating altered Na+-K+ ATPase pump activity without cell damage.
Conclusions:
- A transient depression in Na+-K+ ATPase pump activity, representing cell membrane dysfunction, occurs with low-dose 201Tl and 131I.
- This phenomenon may offer a cellular explanation for 'thyroid stunning' and could be more widespread than previously thought.
- The observed effect is a transient acute response to low-dose radiation, not indicative of permanent cell damage.
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