Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

L. I. Shvaiko, K. D. Bazyka, V. O. Sushko, I. M. Ilienko, D. A. Bazyka

State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53 Yuriia Illienka St., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine

LUNG FUNCTION AND TELOMERE RELATIVE LENGTH IN CLEAN-UP WORKERS OF CHORNOBYL NPP ACCIDENT IN A REMOTE POST-ACCIDENT PERIOD

Objective. The objective was to study the relationship between functional status of bronchopulmonary system and telomere length in clean-up workers of Chornobyl NPP accident in a remote post-accident period.
Materials and methods. A study was performed in 113 clean-up workers of Chornobyl NPP accident. Individual documented doses of irradiation in clean-up workers ranged from 1,0 to 880 mSv (330.4 ± 317.7 (M ± SD)). The average age of the Chornobyl NPP participants was (62.21 ± 6.99) years. A complex of functional pulmonary tests (spirometry, body plethysmography, examination of lung diffusion capacity) was performed. Relative telomere length (RTL) was analysed by flow-FISH.
Results. There was a tendency to decrease the relative telomere length in clean-up workers with COPD I–II stage and COPD III–IV, compared with patients with the absence of bronchopulmonary diseases (RTL 15,2 ± 2,7). Significantly shorter telomeres were observed in patients with COPD who were exposed to radiation at a dose of more than 500 mSv (13.6 ± 2.5) compared with COPD patients who were exposed at a dose <10 mSv (RTL 15.3 ± 2.3). When analyzing the correlation relationships of the studied indicators, no significant associations were found with the relative telomere length. At this stage of the study no association of relative telomere length with age, body mass index, and functional criteria (FEV₁ (l), intrathoracic pressure (ITGV), total lung capacity (TLC), diffusion lung capacity (DLCO)) was detected.
Conclusions. The analyzed telomere length relationship from liquidators of the Chernobyl found no direct association with indicators of lung function tests, however, showed a trend towards reducing the relative telomere length in clean-up workers who suffer from COPD and exposed to doses from 100 to 500 mSv and above 500 mSv.
Key words: Chornobyl accident, clean-up workers, ionizing radiation, relative telomere length, functional pulmonary tests.

Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology.
2019;24:503-515. doi: 10.33145/2304-8336-2019-24-503-515

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