Analysis of Plasma Protein Concentrations and Enzyme Activities in Cattle within the Ex-Evacuation Zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Accident

Yusuke Urushihara,Gohei Hayashi,Toshiro Arai,Yoshikazu Kuwahara,Yasuyuki Abe,Motoi Fukumoto,Satoru Endo,Kenichi Tanaka,Yasushi Kino,Yasuko Hirakawa,Tomokazu Fukuda,Masatoshi Suzuki,Emiko Isogai,Hisashi Shinoda,Koh Kawasumi,Manabu Fukumoto,Tsutomu Sekine,Hideaki Yamashiro,Tim A Mousseau

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0155069

Abstract

The effect of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident on humans and the environment is a global concern. We performed biochemical analyses of plasma from 49 Japanese Black cattle that were euthanized in the ex-evacuation zone set within a 20-km radius of FNPP. Among radionuclides attributable to the FNPP accident, germanium gamma-ray spectrometry detected photopeaks only from 134Cs and 137Cs (radiocesium) commonly in the organs and in soil examined. Radioactivity concentration of radiocesium was the highest in skeletal muscles. Assuming that the animal body was composed of only skeletal muscles, the median of internal dose rate from radiocesium was 12.5 μGy/day (ranging from 1.6 to 33.9 μGy/day). The median of external dose rate calculating from the place the cattle were caught was 18.8 μGy/day (6.0–133.4 μGy/day). The median of internal and external (total) dose rate of the individual cattle was 26.9 μGy/day (9.1–155.1 μGy/day). Plasma levels of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity were positively and glutathione peroxidase activity was negatively correlated with internal dose rate. Plasma alanine transaminase activity and percent activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-2, LDH-3 and LDH-4 were positively and LDH-1 was negatively correlated with both internal and total dose rate. These suggest that chronic exposure to low-dose rate of ionizing radiation induces slight stress resulting in modified plasma protein and enzyme levels.

Highlights

A large amount of radionuclides were released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent tsunami [1]
We measured the levels of total protein (TP), TG, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), CRE, total cholesterol (TC), GLU, and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), as well as the activities of enzymes AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), LDH isozymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the plasma
TP, ALP, total LDH, LDH-1, LDH-3, LDH-4, CRE, TC, MDA and GPx were significantly different between Miyagi group and Yamaguchi group

Summary

Introduction

A large amount of radionuclides were released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent tsunami [1]. The residents within the area of a 20-km radius around FNPP were recommended to evacuate on March 12 and the Japanese government set the area as the evacuation zone based on the 20-km radius around FNPP on April 22, 2011. The Japanese government ordered the governor of Fukushima prefecture to euthanize abandoned livestock within the zone on May 12, 2011. Term the area within a 20-km radius of FNPP the ex-evacuation zone. It has been reported that livestock residing within the ex-evacuation zone were exposed to internally deposited radionuclides and external radiation [5,6,7]. Biological impacts occurred after the FNPP accident have been reported [8,9,10], the association of those with the FNPP accident remains uncertain because of the difficulty of the estimation of radiation dose

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Results

Conclusion