Technical Report No. 12-88
Immunological responses of A-bomb survivors
Akiyama M, Kusunoki Y, Bloom ET, Korn EL, Makinodan TEditor’s note: Publications based on this report were published in Radiat Res 116:343-55, 1988, and Int J Radiat Biol 53:189-98, 1988.
Summary
Immune response parameters were studied on 1,341 A-bomb survivors residing in Hiroshima. On each day of assay, blood was drawn from 4-15 examinees including normally 2 but not less than 1 nonexposed (0 Gy, DS86). Mononuclear cells were isolated from venous blood and tested for interleukin 2 production; lymphocytes were purified and tested for natural killer (NK) cell activity and interferon (IFN) production; and serum was tested for IFN and circulating immune complex (CIC) levels. Statistical analyses were performed for each type of assay using a linear model procedure including sex, age at the time of the bomb, radiation exposure, all the interaction variables, and the categorical variable, day-of-assay. The findings showed that 1) none of the immunologic variables was significantly affected by radiation exposure; 2) NK activity and CIC levels were positively associated with age; and 3) NK activity was on average higher for males than females. The data exemplify the difficulty in reaching firm conclusions concerning associations with radiation exposure when the dependent variable exhibits a large degree of interindividual and day-of-assay variability.
Immune response parameters were studied on 1,341 A-bomb survivors residing in Hiroshima. On each day of assay, blood was drawn from 4-15 examinees including normally 2 but not less than 1 nonexposed (0 Gy, DS86). Mononuclear cells were isolated from venous blood and tested for interleukin 2 production; lymphocytes were purified and tested for natural killer (NK) cell activity and interferon (IFN) production; and serum was tested for IFN and circulating immune complex (CIC) levels. Statistical analyses were performed for each type of assay using a linear model procedure including sex, age at the time of the bomb, radiation exposure, all the interaction variables, and the categorical variable, day-of-assay. The findings showed that 1) none of the immunologic variables was significantly affected by radiation exposure; 2) NK activity and CIC levels were positively associated with age; and 3) NK activity was on average higher for males than females. The data exemplify the difficulty in reaching firm conclusions concerning associations with radiation exposure when the dependent variable exhibits a large degree of interindividual and day-of-assay variability.