[Characteristics of peripheral blood leukocytes in persons working with ionizing radiation sources]

A study was made of 47 men working under the conditions of exposure to a number of occupational factors. Part of the examined persons dealt with ionizing radiation sources. Over the last 5 yrs. annual irradiation doses were on an average 1.82 +/- 0.14 rem. The activity of leukocyte enzymes, blast transformation and the frequency of damages to the chromosomes of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes as well as the level of redox reactions of the body and protein and lipid metabolism were studied. It was shown that in persons with 10-year experience of work with ionizing radiation sources, the activity of leukocyte enzymes and the amount of neutrophils in 1 microliter of blood were raised. The suppression of enzymatic function and a decrease in the amount of leukocytes were noted in persons with experience over 10 yrs. Lowered blast transformation and more frequent T-lymphocyte chromosome aberrations in persons having to do with ionizing radiation sources over 10 yrs., were not accompanied by changes in the health status. No changes were revealed in protein and lipid metabolic indices either, however the level of redox reactions was raised in all these persons. The changes should be regarded as adaptation in response to the exposure of the body to small doses of ionizing radiation and a number of occupational factors. The effect of small doses of irradiation on age indices was equivalent but a tendency for some of the indices was different.