Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Antioxidant System of Human Erythrocytes
Sunčica Z. Borozan1, Gordana N. Gadjanski-Omerović2, and Silvana S. Stajković3
1Department of Chemistry, 2Department of Biochemistry, 3Department of Food Hygiene and Technology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Corresponding author: Dr. Sunčica Borozan, Assoc. Prof.
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
University of Belgrade
Bull. JA 18
11000 Belgrade
Serbia and Montenegro
Telephone: + 381 11 361 54 36
Fax number: + 381 11 685 936
E-mail: sborozan@vet.bg.ac.yu
CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 12–17
Key words: Radiation, antioxidant system, human erythrocytes, modified hemoglobin
= oxidized glutathione = hemoglobin = sulphydryl group = total dose
Abstract: This paper presents preliminary results on the effects of ionizing radiation on the metabolism
of human erythrocytes in subjects professionally exposed to radiation and patients treated with
radiotherapy (total dose 45–60 Gy) for lung or brain cancer. The enzymes important in the
antioxidant system (glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase) and the ratio of glutathione
reduced and glutathione oxidized, as well as the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
were analysed. The final antioxidative effect of ionizing radiation on hemoglobin (Hb) metabolism
and the structural alterations of Hb were investigated by determining the activity of
methemoglobin reductase and the modifications of Hb. The results obtained indicated that due to
the inhibitory effects of ionizing radiation, the activites of the investigated enzymes changed
yielding modified forms of hemoglobin.
Received: 25 September 2003
Accepted: 30 September 2003