Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Antioxidant System of Human Erythrocytes

Sunčica Z. Borozan1, Gordana N. Gadjanski-Omerović2, and Silvana S. Stajković3

1Department of Chemistry, 2Department of Biochemistry, 3Department of Food Hygiene and Technology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Corresponding author: Dr. Sunčica Borozan, Assoc. Prof.
    Department of Chemistry
    Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
    University of Belgrade
    Bull. JA 18
    11000 Belgrade
    Serbia and Montenegro
    Telephone: + 381 11 361 54 36
    Fax number: + 381 11 685 936
    E-mail: sborozan@vet.bg.ac.yu

CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 12–17

Key words:
Radiation, antioxidant system, human erythrocytes, modified hemoglobin

Abbreviations:
EDTA
G-6-PDH
GPx
GR
GSH		 = ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
= glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
= glutathione-peroxidase
= glutathione-reductase
= glutathione		 GSSG
Hb
SH
TD

 = oxidized glutathione
= hemoglobin
= sulphydryl group
= total dose

Abstract:
This paper presents preliminary results on the effects of ionizing radiation on the metabolism of human erythrocytes in subjects professionally exposed to radiation and patients treated with radiotherapy (total dose 45–60 Gy) for lung or brain cancer. The enzymes important in the antioxidant system (glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase) and the ratio of glutathione reduced and glutathione oxidized, as well as the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were analysed. The final antioxidative effect of ionizing radiation on hemoglobin (Hb) metabolism and the structural alterations of Hb were investigated by determining the activity of methemoglobin reductase and the modifications of Hb. The results obtained indicated that due to the inhibitory effects of ionizing radiation, the activites of the investigated enzymes changed yielding modified forms of hemoglobin.

Received: 25 September 2003
Accepted: 30 September 2003
| Back |