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. 2021 Apr;14(4):74.
doi: 10.3892/mco.2021.2236. Epub 2021 Feb 23.

Different responses of normal cells (red blood cells) and cancer cells (K562 and K562/Dox cells) to low-dose 137Cs gamma-rays

Benjamaporn Supawat  1   2 , Panumas Homnuan  1 , Natthawan Kanthawong  1 , Niyada Semrasa  1 , Singkome Tima  3 , Suchart Kothan  1   2 , Chatchanok Udomtanakunchai  1 , Montree Tungjai  1   2
Affiliations

Different responses of normal cells (red blood cells) and cancer cells (K562 and K562/Dox cells) to low-dose 137Cs gamma-rays

Benjamaporn Supawat et al. Mol Clin Oncol. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

High-dose radiation is deleterious to cells or tissues. However, the health risks of exposure to low-dose radiation remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the biological responses of low-dose gamma-ray in vitro exposure to normal red blood cells (RBCs) and erythroleukemia (K562 and K562/Dox) cancer cells. Cells were given a low dose of 0.03, 0.05 and 0.1 mGy of 137Cs gamma-rays (at a dose rate of 0.001 Gy/min) under in vitro conditions. Cells exposed to 0 Gy served as controls. Hemolysis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured in exposed RBCs following exposure to low-dose gamma-rays. In addition, complete blood count (CBC) parameters were determined in irradiated whole blood. For irradiated K562 and K562/Dox cancer cells, ROS and mitochondrial activity were measured at 0, 30, 60 and 120 post-irradiation times. The results showed no change in the percentage of ROS and hemolysis in irradiated RBCs. The data indicated no perturbation in the CBC parameters in irradiated whole blood. By contrast, statistically significant dose-dependent increases in the percentage of ROS and decreases in the mitochondrial activity in the K562 and K562/Dox cancer cells were observed from 0 min up to 120 min post-irradiation. These findings concluded that there were differences in biological responses in normal cells (RBCs) and cancer cells (K562 and K562/Dox) to low-dose gamma-rays when cells were irradiated under in vitro conditions.

Keywords: blood; cancer; gamma-ray; low-dose radiation; radiation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reactive oxygen species percentage in red blood cells following in vitro exposure to various low doses of gamma-rays and in the corresponding non-irradiated control groups. ROS, reactive oxygen species.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hemolysis percentage in red blood cells following in vitro exposure to various low doses of gamma-rays and in the corresponding non-irradiated control groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
ROS percentage in K562 and K562/Dox cancer cells collected at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after exposure to various low doses of gamma-rays. aP<0.05 vs. 0 mGy; bP<0.05 vs. 0.03 mGy; and cP<0.05 vs. 0.05 mGy. ROS, reactive oxygen species.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mitochondrial activity in K562 and K562/Dox cancer cells collected at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after exposure to various low doses of gamma-rays. aP<0.05 vs. 0 mGy; bP<0.05 vs. 0.03 mGy; and cP<0.05 vs. 0.05 mGy.
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