Irradiated stem cells and ageing of the haematopoietic system

Radiat Environ Biophys. 2012 May;51(2):205-13. doi: 10.1007/s00411-012-0401-5. Epub 2012 Jan 26.

Abstract

In the work presented here, changes in haematopoiesis of mice (B6129SF2/J) were studied 1 year after their whole-body exposure to a dose of 7 Gy (72% of mice survived). The irradiated mice were compared with non-irradiated younger (4 months of age) and older (16 months of age) mice. There was a significant increase in the relative abundance of primitive stem cells with long-term capability of the haematopoiesis recovery lin(-)/Sca-1(+)/CD117(+)/CD34(-) in the bone marrow of mice aged 16 months (irradiated and non-irradiated) compared with those aged 4 months. In terms of the ability to respond to further whole-body irradiation at a dose of 1 Gy, the presence of γH2A.X foci was studied in lin(-) bone marrow cells. There was a considerable number of persisting foci in lin(-) stem cells isolated from the bone marrow of the older irradiated mice. In the blood count from the peripheral blood of the older mice (both non-irradiated and irradiated at 7 Gy), there was a significant increase in granulocytes. In the group exposed to 7 Gy, the numbers of thrombocytes significantly increased, and on the contrary, the numbers of erythrocytes, the amount of haemoglobin, and haematocrit significantly decreased.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism
  • Blood Platelets / radiation effects
  • Bone Marrow / radiation effects
  • Cell Line
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism
  • Erythrocytes / radiation effects
  • Female
  • Granulocytes / metabolism
  • Granulocytes / radiation effects
  • Hematopoiesis / radiation effects*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / radiation effects*
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Hemoglobins / radiation effects
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Whole-Body Irradiation / methods

Substances

  • Hemoglobins
  • Histones
  • gamma-H2AX protein, mouse