UV-C INDUCED DNA DAMAGE IN LEUKOCYTES OF CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT CLEAN-UP WORKERS

Arutyunyan R.M., Hovhannisyan G.G., Ghazanchyan E.G., Oganessian N.M., Nersesyan A.K.

The comet assay was used to estimate DNA damage induced by UV-C irradiation in leukocytes of Chernobyl clean-up workers (1986–1987). Blood samples were collected from 12 clean-up workers in 1997, ten years after exposure in doses not higher than 0.25 Gy. Reference blood samples were obtained from 12 healthy persons of corresponding ages (control). Our results show an increased sensitivity of DNA of leukocytes of clean-up workers to UV-C irradiation compared to leukocytes from controls. There were no statistically significant interindividual differences in the background of DNA damage in leukocytes of each of the investigated groups and between the groups.