engleski

Buccal micronucleus assay: An introductory study on X-ray exposed child population

Children are more sensitive towards the effects of ionizing radiation (IR) than adults and this risk is given by their anatomical features and their longer life expectancy in which that risk can be expressed. Hence, in this preliminary study we explored the effects of diagnostic sinus X-ray exposure on buccal epithelia cells using the buccal micronucleus cytome assay. This particular assay is minimally invasive method of sample collection and therefore more appropriate in children’s biomonitoring compared to more commonly used blood sampling. Micronuclei as well as other biomarkers of DNA damage (nuclear buds and the so-called “broken eggs”) and genomic instability, cytokinetic failure or cell death (normal basal cells, normal differentiated cells, binucleated cells, cells with condensed chromatin, pyknotic cells, cells with karyorrhectic chromatin and karyolitic cells) were scored in a minimum of 2000/1000 cells per child, respectively. Twelve children, all with medical conditions which warranted their radiographic examination, between the ages of 6 and 15 years (12.1±2.9) and body mass index (BMI) of 17.8±2.8 kg/m2 were evaluated. In addition to skin dose measurements in the primary beam on the head, doses were measured in the oral cavity below the tongue. Doses measured using radiophotoluminescent (RPL) dosimetry systems were in the range 379-1106 μGy and 3-42 μGy in the primary beam and below the tongue, respectively. Based on the obtained results, no significant changes in tested parameters of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay were observed prior to, or after the radiological examination. However, some of the assessed parameters revealed minor increases in their values after the diagnostic procedure. Moreover, results revealed that inter- individual differences existed for each monitored child. In line with these findings, future biomonitoring and finding optimal biomarkers for low-dose IR exposure are warranted especially for the youngest population. Meanwhile, we have to minimize the annual absorbed dose as low as possible and conduct further research of the radio- sensitivity time window.

buccal micronucleus assay ; ionizing radiation

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