Effect of ethanol of the radiation sensitivity of human hemoglobin

Radiation sensitivity of oxy-, deoxy-, and methemoglobin (HbOs, Hbbj, and MetHb) in water solutions containing 0.2 M ethanol and in ethanol-free solutions was compared. Radiation sensitivity was estimated on the basis of changes in absorbance at the Soret band (a = 430 nm for deoxyhemoglobin), changes in the absorbance ration Avqv/Avwt determined after conversion of irradiated preparations to methemoglobin, and changes in the value of parameters describing the reaction of hemoglobin oxygenation. The protection coefficient p of hemoglobin by ethanol (ratio of a change in the absence of ethanol to that in its presence) calculated from changes in absorbance at the Soret band equaled about 1.5 at a 4-Mrad dose in all bases except MetHb irradiated in air for which p was much higher (about 3.2). The protection coefficient p' calculated from Dtx values for changes in Avchemically bondv/Avwt equaled 2.2 for HbOs, and 2.8 for MetHb for preparations irradiated in air; p' = 1.7 for Hbbj and 1.8 for MetHb for preparations irradiated under argon. On the basis of these results, the role of /sup ./OH radicals and oxygen in the radiation damage of hemoglobin is discussed