Investigation of the radiation-induced changes of electrophoretic mobility of human erythrocytes

According to the results that have been published up to now, the erythrocytes' behaviour might be used to assess the absorbed dose of radiation. However, these results do not provide detailed information about the extent of the effect. This is due among others, to the measuring methods applied, some of which are associated with an important measuring error. In order to avoid this problem, free-flow electrophoresis was used, which is a rapid, mild and highly efficient method. After in vitro irradiation of human erythrocytes at a dose of 3 Gy and subsequent fixation using KMnO4, the electrophoretic behaviour of the cell membrane was found to change by a rate of up to 6%. In order to answer the question of whether this method would be suitable as a biochemical indicator, we conducted not only in vitro experiments but also experiments involving in vivo irradiation of human erythrocytes. For this purpose we collected blood from radiation therapy patients. The results of this study showed that electrophoretic changes by up to 6% may be observed within a period up to 2 days following exposure to ionizing radiation. The suitability of this biochemical indicator system for the detection of radiation is, however, complicated by variations in the EPM of non-irradiated erythrocytes. (orig./MG)