Abstract
Ionizing radiation is a well-known carcinogen that causes genomic instability. However, the biological and carcinogenetic effects of occupational radiation exposure at low doses have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to assess chromosomal instability in power plant workers exposed to occupational radiation at low doses in South Korea. Chromosomal aberrations in the lymphocytes of 201 nuclear power plant workers and 59 sex-matched controls were measured. Chromosomal aberrations in the lymphocytes of 201 nuclear power plant workers (mean age: 41.4 ± 10.0 years) and 59 sex-matched controls (mean age: 47.2 ± 6.0 years) were measured. A total of 500 metaphases for each subject were scored randomly. The means of recent 1.5-year, recent 5.5-year, and cumulative exposed radiation doses among workers were 8.22 ± 7.0 mSv, 30.7 ± 22.0 mSv, and 158.8 ± 86.1 mSv, respectively. The frequency of chromosome-type and chromatid-type aberrations was significantly higher in workers than that in the control group (p < 0.001), and the frequency of chromosome-type aberrations among workers increased in a radiation dose-dependent manner (τ = 0.16, p = 0.005). Poisson regression analyses revealed that chromosome-type aberrations were significantly associated with recent 1.5-year dose after adjusting for confounding variables such as age, smoking, and alcohol intake, even when only the exposed worker was considered. Frequency of multi-aberrant cells (two or more chromosome aberrations within a cell) increased according to cumulative neutron exposure. Our study demonstrates that chromosome damage can be induced in nuclear power plant workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation at low doses below the occupational permissible dose limit. Furthermore, an increase in multi-aberrant cells may provide evidence for chronic neutron exposure in nuclear power plant workers. This study was performed to obtain baseline data for a surveillance program of workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation long-term.
Highlights
It is well known that ionizing radiation (IR) produces DNA damage and chromosomal alterations, indicating induction of genomic instability
The study population was comprised of 201 male workers occupationally exposed to low doses of IR from four nuclear power plants located in South Korea (Kori, Wolsong, Yonggwang, and Ulchin) and 59 sex-matched volunteers
The controls were office workers who had never been occupationally exposed to IR; their blood was collected during the same periods as that of the nuclear power plant workers
Summary
It is well known that ionizing radiation (IR) produces DNA damage and chromosomal alterations, indicating induction of genomic instability. Genomic instability is characterized by an increased tendency to alter the genome, subsequently increasing cancer risk [1,2,3,4]. Chromosomal aberrations are a striking form of radiation-induced genomic instability [5]. Chromosome aberration analyses in peripheral blood are widely used to estimate the absorbed dose in biological dosimetry and are a reliable biomarker for predicting cancer risk in healthy populations [7,8]. Monitoring increased chromosome aberrations in the peripheral blood from workers and the public who are occupationally or accidently exposed to IR may be useful to survey workers and the public for their susceptibility to cancer development [9]
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