Title: Radiobiology worker risk assessment using stress indicators and proteomics

Authors: Karim Mezhoud; Amina Sakly; Hassen Ben Cheikh; Mouldi Saïdi; Marc Edery

Addresses: Research Unit UR04CNSTN01 Medical and Agricultural Applications of Nuclear Techniques, National Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technology (CNSTN), Sidi Thabet Biotechpole, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia; Research Unit UMR 7245 CNRS-MNHN Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Eq. Cyanobactéries, Cyanotoxines et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 12 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris cedex 05, France ' Research Unit 02UR08-03 Histology and Cytogenetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia ' Research Unit 02UR08-03 Histology and Cytogenetics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Avenue Ibnou Sina 5000 Monastir, Tunisia ' Research Unit UR04CNSTN01 Medical and Agricultural Applications of Nuclear Techniques, National Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technology (CNSTN), Sidi Thabet Biotechpole, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia ' Research Unit UMR 7245 CNRS-MNHN Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Eq. Cyanobactéries, Cyanotoxines et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 12 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris cedex 05, France

Abstract: Radiology is an essential technology in medicine and is used for organ diagnosis, radio-tracing and radiotherapy. The risks for the radiobiology workers have not been assessed sufficiently because measuring instruments fail to detect very low doses. This paper presents an investigation on the potential risks for radiobiology workers, due to the occupational exposure to low doses of irradiation. In this respect we used plasma samples from 16 subjects who were supposed to receive very low dose of irradiation in a longer time period. We used chromosomal aberrations, means of oxidative stress measurement and combined proteomics and bioinformatics in order to elucidate risks of such exposure. We found significant chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes and the increase of oxidative stress biomarkers in plasma. In addition, the proteomic analysis shows differentially regulated proteins from which three were verified by ELISA tests. This proteomic analysis picks out some interesting proteins that may belong to biomarkers panel of radiation exposure.

Keywords: radiobiology risk assessment; low dose; plasma; radiobiology workers; oxidative stress biomarkers; proteomics; low radiation; occupational exposure; chromosomal aberrations; bioinformatics; proteins; radiation exposure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2014.060911

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2014 Vol.9 No.3, pp.199 - 218

Received: 09 Aug 2013
Accepted: 20 Jan 2014
Published online: 22 Oct 2014 *

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