[Post-irradiation changes of metabolic and functional activity of adhesive macrophages]

Research into dose- and time-dependent alterations of quantitative and qualitative composition of the peritoneal cells has been carried out. Exposure at 3, 5, 7, or 9 Gy reduced the total number of peritoneal cells, increased the activity of the lactate-, malate-, and qlucoso-6-phosphate dehydrogenases, of the acid phosphatase and catepsin D; the amount of the cell protein in adhesing macrophages was also increased. The exposed macrophages showed enhanced phagocytic and cytotoxic activity as evidenced by the increase in luminol- and lucigenin-enhanced chemilumenscence in vitro. The most pronounced changes took place 7-9 days after exposure at 9 Gy.