Development of serum zinc as a biological dosimeter in mice

• Published in: International journal of radiation biology Vol. 90; no. 10; pp. 909 - 913
• Main Authors: Min, Xuan-Yu, Zhang, Xiao-Hong, Zhou, Qi-Pu, Hu, Xiao-Dan, Liu, Pei-Dang, Zhang, Hai-Qian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 01.10.2014; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Assay - methods; Biological dosimeter; Biomarkers - blood; Body Burden; Computer Simulation; gamma radiation; Gamma Rays; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Models, Biological; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; serum zinc; Space life sciences; Whole-Body Counting - methods; Whole-Body Irradiation; Zinc - blood; gamma radiation; Biological dosimeter; serum zinc; mice
• ISSN: 0955-3002; 1362-3095
• DOI: 10.3109/09553002.2014.922718

Abstract Purpose: To develop a new biological dosimeter based on serum zinc concentration. Materials and methods: Male mice (8 weeks old) were exposed to different doses (0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 Gy) of gamma rays from a 60Co source. Blood was then collected from the orbital area of these mice, and the serum zinc concentration was detected using the 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol colorimetric method. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Results: The serum zinc concentration in the irradiated mice decreased with increasing dose. Two dose-response relationships fitted to the linear quadratic curve were obtained: One immediately after exposure (y = 0.010x2 − 0.133x + 0.663, r = 0.983) and the other on the seventh day after exposure (y = 0.008x2 − 0.127x + 0.695, r = 0.990). The serum zinc concentration continued to decrease until 21 days after exposure. The absorbed doses estimated using both dose-response relationships were close to the actual doses. Conclusions: Serum zinc is a quick, effective, and sensitive biomarker for early biological doses assessment of mice irradiated by gamma radiation.