Response Of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes Research Articles

Chromosomal damage, gene expression and alternative transcription in human lymphocytes exposed to mixed ionizing radiation as encountered in space

Astronauts travelling in space will be exposed to mixed beams of particle radiation and photons. Exposure limits that correspond to defined cancer risk are calculated by multiplying absorbed doses by a radiation-type specific quality factor that reflects the biological effectiveness of the particle without considering possible interaction with photons. We have shown previously that alpha radiation and X-rays may interact resulting in synergistic DNA damage responses in human peripheral blood lymphocytes but the level of intra-individual variability was high. In order to assess the variability and validate the synergism, blood from two male donors was drawn at 9 time points during 3 seasons of the year and exposed to 0–2 Gy of X-rays, alpha particles or 1:1 mixture of both (half the dose each). DNA damage response was quantified by chromosomal aberrations and by mRNA levels of 3 radiation-responsive genes FDXR, CDKN1A and MDM2 measured 24 h post exposure. The quality of response in terms of differential expression of alternative transcripts was assessed by using two primer pairs per gene. A consistently higher than expected effect of mixed beams was found in both donors for chromosomal aberrations and gene expression with some seasonal variability for the latter. No synergy was detected for alternative transcription.

A study on the radiosensitivity and induction of adaptive response in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with secondary immunodeficiency syndrome

This study examined radiosensitivity at low and high dose exposure to X-rays in human lymphocytes and the ability of low and high dose radiation to induce radioadaptive response when the peripheral blood cells from patients with secondary immune deficiency syndrome and healthy donors of different ages were irradiated in vitro. The frequency of micronuclei in cytochalasin-blocked binuclear lymphocytes in culture served as an indication of cytogenetic damage. It was found that the spontaneous level of cytogenetic damage in blood lymphocytes of patients with secondary immune deficiency syndrome was 2.5 times greater than that of healthy young and older volunteers and there was also a substantial interindividual variability in outcome parameters as compared to the data of control groups. There were no differences in mean values for radiosensitivity at low and high dose exposure of X-rays between the groups. In all groups, no correlation was shown between the spontaneous level of micronuclei in lymphocytes and the radiosensitivity of individuals. The adaptive response was induced with the same frequency and to the same extent in lymphocytes in patients with secondary immune deficiency syndrome and in healthy donors of different ages.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes differ in DNA damage response after exposure to X-rays with different physical properties

Introduction: In radiology, low X-ray energies (<140 keV) are used to obtain an optimal image while in radiotherapy, higher X-ray energies (MeV) are used to eradicate tumor tissue. In radiation research, both these X-ray energies being used to extrapolate in vitro research to clinical practice. However, the energy deposition of X-rays depends on their energy spectrum, which might lead to changes in biological response. Therefore, this study compared the DNA damage response (DDR) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) exposed to X-rays with varying beam quality, mean photon energy (MPE) and dose rate. Methods: The DDR was evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) by the ɣ-H2AX foci assay, the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and an SYTOX-based cell death assay, combined with specific cell death inhibitors. Cell cultures were irradiated with a 220 kV X-ray research cabinet (SARRP, X-Strahl) or a 6 MV X-ray linear accelerator (Elekta Synergy). Three main physical parameters were investigated: beam quality (V), MPE (eV) and dose rate (Gy/min). Additional copper (Cu) filtration caused variation in the MPE (78 keV, 94 keV, 118 keV) at SARRP; dose rates were varied by adjusting tube current for 220 kV X-rays (0.33–3 Gy/min) or water-phantom depth in the 6 MV set-up (3–6 Gy/min). Results: The induction of chromosomal damage and initial (30 min) DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) were significantly higher for 220 kV X-rays compared to 6 MV X-rays, while cell death induction was similar. Specific cell death inhibitors for apoptosis, necroptosis and ferroptosis were not capable of blocking cell death after irradiation using low or high-energy X-rays. Additional Cu filtration increased the MPE, which significantly decreased the amount of chromosomal damage and DSBs. Within the tested ranges no specific effects of dose rate variation were observed. Conclusion: The DDR in PBLs is influenced by the beam quality and MPE. This study reinforces the need for consideration and inclusion of all physical parameters in radiation-related studies.

A Study on the Radiosensitivity and Induction of Adaptive Response in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with Secondary Immunodeficiency Syndrome

A Study on the Radiosensitivity and Induction of Adaptive Response in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with Secondary Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Abstract 3231: Temporal changes in intratumoral and systemic lymphocytes in response to short and long course radiotherapy regimens in locally advanced rectal cancer

Abstract Background. Two pre-operative radiotherapy (RT) regimens are in common use for patients (pts) with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC): Conventionally fractionated, long course chemoradiation (LCCRT, 25x1.8Gy with concomitant chemotherapy) or hypofractionated short-course RT (5X5Gy) followed by systemic chemotherapy (SCRT-C). RT is thought to induce immune responses to cellular damage, but the understanding of their evolution and relation to fractionation is limited. We are conducting a serial biospecimen collection in such pts with baseline, 2, 6 and 12 week (wk) sampling. We report serial measurement of tumor and peripheral blood lymphocyte responses for each regimen. Method. Multiplex immunofluorescence quantified tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8, FOXP3). Routine diagnostic flow cytometry quantified circulating lymphocytes. A multiplex ELISA quantified cytokines in blood plasma. Bulk RNA-sequencing (QuantSeq) quantified gene expression within the tumor. Result. We report results for 20pts who received RT for stage III/IV LARC (13 LCCRT, 7 SCRT-C). Biopsy results are available for 10pts, circulating lymphocytes for 20pts and peripheral blood cytokines for 16pts. In LCCRT patients (n=8), relative to baseline, tumor infiltrating cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells were uniformly decreased during (2wks, P&amp;lt;0.05) and directly after treatment (6wks, P&amp;lt;0.05) before returning to baseline at 12wks. T regulatory cells (FOXP3+) similarly significantly decreased at 2wks and 6wks but remained below baseline at 12wks (P&amp;lt;0.05). Circulating lymphocytes also fell at wk2 and wk6 after commencing LCCRT and had begun recovering by wk12(n=13; P&amp;lt;0.05). The concentrations of circulating interleukins secreted by (IL2, IL8) or which activate T-lymphocytes (IL2, IL15) were reduced in the circulation at wk2 (n= 9; P&amp;lt;0.05) and wk6 (NS). In SCRT-C patients, we noted an increase in CD8 T cells at 2wks in 2/2 pts, also reflected in gene expression data, and an increase in FOXP3 T cells in 1/2 pts. Circulating lymphocytes were similarly decreased at wk2 in both the SCRT-C (n=7) and LCCRT (n=13) pts, but this reduction was less marked within the SCRT-C cohort at wk6 (P&amp;lt;0.01) and wk12 (P&amp;lt;0.05) relative to LCCRT patients. IL2, IL8 and IL15 did not change during or after SCRT-C (n=7; NS). Conclusion. LCCRT caused a drop in T cells during treatment, whilst SCRT-C appears to induce intra-tumoral T cell responses from wk2 and abrogates systemic reactions to a lesser extent. These results require evaluation in a larger cohort but have implications for understanding how RT induces microenvironmental changes and impacts pelvic bone marrow. We show in vivo that SCRT may be more immunostimulatory in LARC, with implications for trials combining RT with immunotherapy. Citation Format: Lily V. Hillson, Ross K. McMahon, Kathryn A. Pennel, Jean A. Quinn, Leia Jones, Raheleh Amirkhah, Aula Ammar, Phimmada Hatthakarnkul, Annabelle Ferguson, Simon W. Milling, Alec McDonald, Philip D. Dunne, Joanne Edwards, Sean M. O'Cathail, Campbell S. Roxburgh. Temporal changes in intratumoral and systemic lymphocytes in response to short and long course radiotherapy regimens in locally advanced rectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3231.

Changes in Radiosensitivity to Gamma-Rays of Lymphocytes from Hyperthyroid Patients Treated with I-131.

This study investigated the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) response to a dose of γ-rays in patients treated with radioiodine (I-131) for hyperthyroidism vs. healthy controls, to gain information about the individual lymphocytes’ radio-sensitivity. Blood samples were taken from 18 patients and 10 healthy donors. Phosphorylated histone variant H2AX (γ-H2AX) and micronuclei (MN) induction were used to determine the change in PBL radio-sensitivity and the correlations between the two types of damage. The two assays showed large inter-individual variability in PBL background damage and in radio-sensitivity (patients vs. healthy donors). In particular, they showed an increased radio-sensitivity in 36% and 33% of patients, decrease in 36% and 44%, respectively. There was a scarce correlation between the two assays and no dependence on age or gender. A significant association was found between high radio-sensitivity conditions and induced hypothyroidism. PBL radio-sensitivity in the patient group was not significantly affected by treatment with I-131, whereas there were significant changes inter-individually. The association found between clinical response and PBL radio-sensitivity suggests that the latter could be used in view of the development of personalized treatments.

Differential activation of innate and adaptive lymphocytes during latent or active infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Most individuals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) have latent tuberculosis (TB), which can be diagnosed with tests (such as the QuantiFERON-TB Gold test [QFT]) that detect the production of IFN-γ by memory T cells in response to the Mtb-specific antigens 6 kDa early secretory antigenic target EsxA (Rv3875) (ESAT-6), 10 kDa culture filtrate antigen EsxB (Rv3874) (CFP-10), and Mtb antigen of 7.7 kDa (Rv2654c) (TB7.7). However, the immunological mechanisms that determine if an individual will develop latent or active TB remain incompletely understood. Here we compared the response of innate and adaptive peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy individuals without Mtb infection (QFT negative) and from individuals with latent (QFT positive) or active TB infection, to determine the characteristics of these cells that correlate with each condition. In active TB patients, the levels of IFN-γ that were produced in response to Mtb-specific antigens had high positive correlations with IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-12p70, and IL-23, while the proinflammatory cytokines had high positive correlations between themselves and with IL-12p70 and IL-23. These correlations were not observed in QFT-negative or QFT-positive healthy volunteers. Activation with Mtb-soluble extract (a mixture of Mtb antigens and pathogen-associated molecular patterns [PAMPs]) increased the percentage of IFN-γ-/IL-17-producing NK cells and of IL-17-producing innate lymphoid cell 3 (ILC3) in the peripheral blood of active TB patients, but not of QFT-negative or QFT-positive healthy volunteers. Thus, active TB patients have both adaptive and innate lymphocyte subsets that produce characteristic cytokine profiles in response to Mtb-specific antigens or PAMPs. These profiles are not observed in uninfected individuals or in individuals with latent TB, suggesting that they are a response to active TB infection.

Adaptive Response of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Medical Radiation Workers using the Comet Assay: A Preliminary Studyomet Assay: A Preliminary Study

Background: Gamma irradiation can cause DNA damage in single and double-strand breaks (SSBs &amp; DSBs), especially in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Radiotherapy medical radiation workers can be exposed to gamma radiation related to their daily work. The comet assay is a sensitive method for analyzing DNA damage, especially SSBs. This study explores DNA damage in medical radiation workers’ peripheral blood lymphocytes as an adaptive response using the comet assay.Methods: Blood samples were obtained from four radiotherapy medical radiation workers as a case study (MRW) and two non-medical radiation workers as controls, and then irradiated with various doses of 0, 1, 1.5, and 2 Gy. Lymphocytes were isolated by histopaque and processed by comet assay on the slide under alkaline conditions. The imaging results were analyzed using the Casplab_1.2.3b2 software. The comet assay parameters observed were Tail Length (TL), % Tail DNA (T.DNA), Tail Moment (TM), and Olive Tail Moment (OTM). The one-way ANOVA method was used to analyze statistically between treatment groups. Results: Based on the study results, an increase in TL, T.DNA, TM, and OTM values in all samples was directly proportional to the increase in radiation dose. However, there was no significant difference (P &gt; 0.05) between the MRW group and the control group on each parameter of the comet assay.Conclusions: From this study, it can be concluded that the level of DNA damage of lymphocyte cells as part of the adaptive response in the MRW and control groups was relatively similar after exposure at doses of 0, 1, 1.5, and 2 Gy.

Susceptibility to chromosome instability and occurrence of the regular form of Down syndrome in young couples

Although the risk of pregnancy with Down syndrome (DS) increases with age, conceptions with trisomy 21 can occur in mothers aged 35 or less. The micronucleus test on peripheral blood lymphocytes is a well-recognized method for studying chromosomal instability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of the micronucleus assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for estimation of chromosome instability and occurrence of trisomy 21 in young parents having pregnancy or a child with the regular form of Down syndrome. The study included 54 parents (27 couples) who had previous pregnancy with trisomy 21 at age 35 or less. The control group consisted of 30 couples with two healthy children and no previous spontaneous abortions. Parents with trisomy 21 pregnancy had significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei in binucleated cells. There was no statistically significant difference between the study and control groups in the frequencies of micronuclei in mononuclear cells, nuclear buds, or nucleoplasmic bridges. FISH analysis showed higher percentages of micronuclei containing whole chromosomes as well as statistically significant higher numbers of micronuclei containing chromosome 21 in the peripheral blood of DS parents. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes to treatment with the mutagen mitomycin C. Our results suggest that young parents with a history of the regular form of Down syndrome have a higher susceptibility to chromosome nondisjunction in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The micronucleus assay showed high specificity, but moderate sensitivity, for risk assessment of trisomy 21 pregnancy.

Poly(Lactide-co-Glycolide) Nanoparticle-Mediated Vaccine Delivery of Encapsulated Surface Antigen Protein of Hepatitis B Virus Elicits Effective Immune Response.

Hepatitis B viral infection is one of the most important infectious diseases of the liver worldwide. Chronic infection with HBV often leads to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The currently licensed hepatitis B vaccine consists of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen adsorbed into aluminum adjuvant and administered in three doses over the course of 6 months. However, this vaccine requires invasive administration and requires multiple booster doses. To avoid these limitations, nanoparticle (NP)-based vaccines lent itself as efficient adjuvants and delivery systems for the development of new generation vaccines. The biodegradable synthetic polymeric NPs poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) was used in this study to formulate PLGA NPs encapsulated with hepatitis B surface protein to evaluate immune response in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. Formulation of HBP (HBV surface protein)-encapsulated PLGA (HB-nanovaccine [HB-NV]) was conducted by using double emulsion solvent evaporation technique (water-oil-water), which resulted in 94% encapsulation efficiency and 24% protein loading capacity. The resulted HB-NV had typical characteristics of spherical shape at an average size of 71.08 nm with higher densities and high stability dispersion of negatively charged NPs as assessed by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometry, zeta potential, and Fourier-transform infrared. The immune response to HB-NV was measured in vitro in lymphocytes, showed significant increase in levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ, as well as in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, with a dose-dependent effect, examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively.

Адаптивный ответ как критерий оценки индивидуальной радиочувствительности человека. Обзор

Most studies of radioadaptive response (RAR) in vivo have revealed its effective induction both by chronic and single irradiation of a human organism with low doses. The classical way of the for-mation of RAR on the human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was noted as in occupationally irradiated personnel as in residents of areas with increased natural or man-made accidental high background radiation. In some studies, the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident and children liv-ing in the Chernobyl pollution zone showed the phenomenon of increasing the radiosensitivity of PBL. A comparative analysis of the influence of two types of radiation (gamma and betta) with close RBE showed comparable effectiveness to induce an adaptive response in human PBL in the mode of chronic exposure in the long term. Evidence of RAR in vivo was also obtained in the study of DNA end-points and chromosomal damage. In an experiment with the effect on neutrophils of peripheral blood of the elderly people (age 63-84 years) induced by acute gamma-rays in a wide range of doses (0.1; 0.25; 1; 4 and 10 Gy) the greatest radioresistance of their phagocytic and lysosomal activity is shown. Gamma-rays at low doses (0.1 Gy) stimulated the formation of extracellular traps by neutrophils in vitro using activated pyrogen (Pyrogernalum). The article presents some mechanisms of RAR in vivo. The study of radioadaptive response should be considered as an indispensable factor for assessing and controlling individual human radiosensitivity.

Study of modifying effects of astaxanthin on cytogenetic manifestations of bystander response in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro.

To study the possible impact of astaxanthin on the cytogenetic manifestations of the simultaneous development of radiation-induced (RIBE) and tumor-induced bystander effect (TIBE) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy persons and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were cultured separately or cocultured with or without previous irradiation in vitro by 137Cs at a dose of 0.5Gy. The cells were cultured with and without 20μg/ml astaxanthin. In the presence of astaxanthin, the decrease of chromosomal instability both in the variant with separate TIBE and with simultaneous development of TIBE and RIBE was observed as the reduction in the frequency of simple chromosome-type aberrations, namely, double fragments. The average level of chromatid-type aberrations did not change under the action of astaxanthin. Although the total chromosome instability in bystander cells diminished, this did not lead to the elimination of the RIBE and TIBE development in the presence of astaxanthin. In the setting of experiment, astaxanthin did not reduce the frequency of chromatid-type aberrations in bystander cells due to RIBE and TIBE but reduced the frequency of simple aberrations of chromosomal type, not associated with the development of bystander response phenomenon.

Evaluating Individual Radiosensitivity for the Prediction of Acute Toxicities of Chemoradiotherapy in Esophageal Cancer Patients.

In this work, individual radiosensitivity was evaluated using DNA damage response and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) for the prediction of acute toxicities of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in esophageal cancer patients. Eighteen patients with esophageal cancer were enrolled in this prospective study. Prescribed doses were 60 Gy in 11 patients and 50 Gy in seven patients. Patients received 2 Gy radiotherapy five days a week. PBLs were obtained during treatment just before and 15 min after 2 Gy radiation therapy on the days when the cumulative dose reached 2, 20, 40 Gy and 50 or 60 Gy. PBLs were also obtained four weeks and six months after radiotherapy in all and 13 patients, respectively. Dicentric and ring chromosomes in PBLs were counted to evaluate the number of CAs. Gamma-H2AX foci per cell were scored to assess DNA double-strand breaks. We analyzed the association between these factors and adverse events. The number of γ-H2AX foci before radiotherapy showed no significant increase during CRT, while their increment was significantly reduced with the accumulation of radiation dose. The mean number of CAs increased during CRT up to 1.04 per metaphase, and gradually decreased to approximately 60% six months after CRT. Five patients showed grade 3 toxicities during or after CRT (overreactors: OR), while 13 had grade 2 or less toxicities (non-overreactors: NOR). The number of CAs was significantly higher in the OR group than in the NOR group at a cumulative dose of 20 Gy (mean value: 0.63 vs. 0.34, P = 0.02), 40 Gy (mean value: 0.90 vs. 0.52, P = 0.04), and the final day of radiotherapy (mean value: 1.49 vs. 0.84, P = 0.005). These findings suggest that number of CAs could be an index for predicting acute toxicities of CRT for esophageal cancer.

An OMV-Based Nanovaccine Confers Safety and Protection against Pathogenic Escherichia coli via Both Humoral and Predominantly Th1 Immune Responses in Poultry.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) infection in poultry causes enormous economic losses and public health risks. Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and nano-sized proteolipids enriched with various immunogenic molecules have gained extensive interest as novel nanovaccines against bacterial infections. In this study, after the preparation of APEC O2-derived OMVs (APEC_OMVs) using the ultracentrifugation method and characterization of them using electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analyses, we examined the safety and vaccination effect of APEC_OMVs in broiler chicks and investigated the underlying immunological mechanism of protection. The results showed that APEC_OMVs had membrane-enclosed structures with an average diameter of 89 nm. Vaccination with 50 μg of APEC_OMVs had no side effects and efficiently protected chicks against homologous infection. APEC_OMVs could be effectively taken up by chicken macrophages and activated innate immune responses in macrophages in vitro. APEC_OMV vaccination significantly improved activities of serum non-specific immune factors, enhanced the specific antibody response and promoted the proliferation of splenic and peripheral blood lymphocytes in response to mitogen. Furthermore, APEC_OMVs also elicited a predominantly IFN-γ-mediated Th1 response in splenic lymphocytes. Our data revealed the involvement of both non-specific immune responses and specific antibody and cytokine responses in the APEC_OMV-mediated protection, providing broader knowledge for the development of multivalent APEC_OMV-based nanovaccine with high safety and efficacy in the future.

Association Between Acute Toxicities Of Chemoradiotherapy And Chromosomal Aberrations In Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes In Esophageal Cancer Patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the individual radiosensitivity by analyzing the DNA damage response and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) induced by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and to predict non-hematologic acute toxicities of CRT in patients with esophageal cancer. Sixteen esophageal cancer patients referred to our institution for definitive CRT were enrolled in this prospective study. Prescribed doses were 60 Gy in 10 patients and 50 Gy in 6 patients. Patients received 2 Gy radiotherapy (RT) five days a week. Cisplatin or Nedaplatin (days 1 and 29) and 5-fluorouracil (days 1–4 and 29–32) were used as chemotherapy. PBLs were obtained during treatment just before and 15 minutes after delivering 2 Gy of RT on the day when the cumulative dose reached 2, 20, 40 and 50/60 Gy. PBLs were also obtained 4 weeks and 6 months after RT from all and thirteen patients, respectively. Dicentric and ring chromosomes in PBLs were counted to evaluate the numbers of CAs. γ-H2AX foci per cell were counted and the increment of γ-H2AX foci by 2 Gy RT was examined to assess DNA double-strand breaks. We assessed the association between these factors and adverse events of CRT evaluated using common terminology criteria for adverse events version 5.0. Paired t-test adjusted by Bonferroni correction and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the indices from the same group at different timings and the indices between two groups, respectively. For all analyses, a P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. The mean numbers of CAs per 1,000 cells increased during CRT and decreased after RT: before RT, 13 (range: 0–24); 2 Gy, 50 (31–82); 20 Gy, 442 (218–1,099); 40 Gy: 710 (338–1,333); the last day of RT (50 or 60 Gy), 1,089 (567–2,295); 4 weeks after RT: 1,019 (455–2,063); and 6 months after RT: 646 (269–1,217). The mean numbers of γH2AX foci per cell before RT showed no increase during CRT. The mean increment of γH2AX foci per cell by 2 Gy RT was significantly reduced with accumulation of RT dose: 2Gy, 1.95 (0.57–3.33); 20 Gy, 1.70(0.59–3.17); 40 Gy: 1.01 (0.06–1.88); and the last day of RT (50 or 60 Gy), 0.69 (0.08–2.19), even though the same dose was administered each day. Five patients showed grade 3 toxicities during or after CRT (overreactors: OR), while eleven had grade 2 or less toxicities (non-overreactors: NOR). The numbers of CAs were significantly higher in the OR group than in the NOR group at a cumulative dose of 20 Gy (mean value: 625 vs 355, P = 0.02), 40 Gy (mean value: 903 vs 571, P = 0.04), and the last day of RT (mean value: 1485 vs 869, P = 0.007). The number and increment of γH2AX foci did not show a significant association with acute toxicities. The number of CAs after CRT increased as the cumulative doses increased, while the increment of γ-H2AX foci decreased with an increase in cumulative dose. The number of CAs could be an index for predicting non-hematologic acute toxicities of CRT for esophageal cancer.

Comparative analysis of key immune protection factors in H9N2 avian influenza viruses infected and immunized specific pathogen–free chicken

H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIV) continue to circulate in vaccinated chicken flocks in China, which prompted us to investigate the differential immune protection factors induced by H9N2 AIV infection and immunization for analyzing the reason of protection deficiency of H9N2 AIV inactivated vaccine. In this study, we firstly explored virus-induced optimal immune responses in chicken after H9N2 AIV infection. And, we found that H9N2 hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody level, antiviral interferon-stimulated genes including 2′,5’-oligoadenylate synthetase-like and myxovirus resistance 1, CD8+ T cell response in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) accompanied by the cytotoxicity-associated genes, including poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and IFN-r play important roles in defending against H9N2 infection. Besides, we observed that vaccine immunization triggered the similar H9N2 HI antibody level as viral infection, the increase of CD4+ T cell percentage instead of CD8+ T cell percentage in PBL. Moreover, we further made a comparative analysis of immune-related gene expression profile in PBL and lung after H9N2 AIV infection and immunization, respectively. The results showed that vaccine immunization contributed to the up-regulation of Th2 cytokine. But the deficiency of cytotoxicity-associated genes induced by H9N2 AIV inactivated vaccine may be the potential key reason of protection deficiency. These findings provide evidence and direction for developing effective H9N2 AIV vaccines.

Increased antiviral response in circulating lymphocytes from hypogammaglobulinemia patients.

B cells play a crucial role during rhinovirus (RV) infections by production of virus-neutralizing antibodies. A main feature of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is hypogammaglobulinemia (HG). HG patients have severely reduced levels of antibody-producing B cells and suffer from prolonged virus infections. Here, we addressed whether antiviral response of peripheral blood lymphocytes differs between HG patients and healthy individuals during natural RV infection. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, B-cell subsets were analyzed. Simultaneously, CD19+B cells, CD14+monocytes, and CD3+T cells were sorted from frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 RV-infected hypogammaglobulinemia patients, 7 RV-infected control subjects, and 14 noninfected control subjects. Real-time PCR was used to study expression of antiviral genes. A pan-RV PCR was used to detect RV genome in all samples. In HG patients, total B-cell numbers, as well as IgA+and IgG+switched memory B cells, were reduced while naïve B cells and T cells were increased. STAT1 expression was increased in HG patients compared to controls in all lymphocyte subsets analyzed. The expression of antiviral genes IFITM1 and MX1 correlated with STAT1 expression in B cells and monocytes. RV RNA was found in 88.9% of monocytes from infected HG patients, 85.7% of monocytes from infected controls, and 7.1% of monocytes from uninfected controls. We demonstrate an increased antiviral response in B cells and monocytes in HG patients and their correlation with STAT1 expression. Monocytes of infected HG patients and infected non-HG controls carry RV RNA.

Effects of culturing technique on human peripheral blood lymphocytes response to proton and X-ray radiation

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to comparatively investigate the effects of culturing methods on the response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to irradiation exposure.Materials and methods: Whole blood and isolated lymphocytes were ex vivo exposed to two radiation sources (60 MeV proton or 250 kV X-ray radiation) with different doses (0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 Gy), and genotoxic markers were subsequently assayed. The observed effects were compared as dose–response relationships using two end points (CBMN and PCC tests) and different biomarkers (NDI, PCC index, MNi frequency and excess PCC fragments).Results and conclusions: The results showed different effects of the culturing techniques on the response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to radiation. The MNi frequency and excess PCC fragments were significantly higher when lymphocytes were cultured after being isolated. After irradiation, no differences were seen in the NDI between the lymphocytes of the two culturing techniques; however, there were differences in the PPC index. When planning or performing cytogenetic studies, the possibility of such effects and their potential to impact the variability of the results of human biomonitoring studies should be considered important and taken into account.

Cellular immune responses in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Giardia infected squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis) treated with Fenbendazole.

Cellular immune responses were tested to determine the effect of fenbendazole on the function of lymphocytes from Bolivian squirrel monkeys (Samiri boliviensis boliviensis). Giardia-infected squirrel monkeys were treated with commercially available fenbendazole (FBZ)-medicated monkey chow. Immune responses were compared between historical controls (Giardia naïve, untreated with FBZ (control animals)) and Giardia-infected, FBZ-treated squirrel monkeys (study animals). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from study monkeys had significantly lower stimulation indices compared to control animals when cultured in vitro with concanavalin A (Con A) (p<0.0001), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) (p<0.0001) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (p<0.0001). PBMCs were also analyzed for IFN-γ producing cells in response to stimulation with Con A, PHA, PWM, and LPS by the cytokine ELISPOT assay. Significantly higher responses to Con A- (p<0.0001), and PHA- (p<0.001) stimulated cultures from Giardia-infected and fenbendazole treated compared to controls. Flow cytometric analysis for expression of cell surface markers revealed a significant increase in B- and NKT-lymphocytes and significant decrease in CD14+CD16+ monocytes after FBZ treatment. Also, circulating plasma cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12p40, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-13, IL-1ra, IL-6 and IL-4 were significantly decreased after FBZ treatment. Comparison of hematologic parameters between controls and FBZ-treated squirrel monkeys revealed significantly lower numbers of total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils compared to controls. However, erythrocyte indices (red cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in FBZ-treated monkeys. Our findings suggest that fenbendazole treatment may alter sensitive immune and molecular measures of inflammation. Postponing the experimental use of squirrel monkeys until at least 6 weeks after FBZ treatment should be considered.

Влияние факторов полета на степень деградации ядер клеток буккального эпителия пилотов

Целью работы явилось определение зависимости между ядерными аномалиями в клетках буккального эпителия и факторами полета, такими как высота и общая продолжительность, а также наличия у пилотов радиоадаптивного ответа (РАО). Методы. В работе был использован ряд методик: учет аномалий ядра (АЯ) в буккальном эпителии и выявление встречаемости РАО в лимфоцитах периферической крови для оценки адаптивных способностей организма летчиков при воздействии факторов полета. Результаты. В группах с одинаковым количеством полетных часов число клеток с кариорексисом возрастает с увеличением высоты. Анализ АЯ в зависимости от наличия или отсутствия РАО показал тенденцию к увеличению числа клеток с кариорексисом у людей без РАО. Заключение. Действие факторов полета проявляется в увеличении частоты встречаемости клеток с кариорексисом, что более выражено в группах пилотов без РАО, а частоты встречаемости АЯ зависят от общей продолжительности и высоты полетов. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between nuclear abnormalities (NA) in buccal epithelial cells and flight factors, such as altitude and total duration, as well as the presence of a radioadaptive response in pilots. Methods. The study used a number of techniques, including recording NA in the buccal epithelium and the occurrence of radioadaptive response (RAR) in peripheral blood lymphocytes, to assess adaptive abilities of the body of pilots under the influence of flight factors. Results. In groups with the same number of flight hours, the number of cells with karyorhexis increased with increasing flight altitude. Analysis of NA in buccal epithelial cells with a due account for the presence or absence of RAR showed that the number of cells with karyorexis had a tendency to increase in persons without RAR; in the group with &gt;1,000 flight hours, this tendency was more pronounced. Conclusion. The NA incidence in buccal epithelial cells depended on the total duration and altitude of flights. The effects of flight factors were evident as increased incidence of cells with karyorhexis. This effect was more pronounced in groups of pilots without RAR.