OBJECTIVETo establish the dose-effect curve between TCR MF and ionizing radiation.

METHODSPeripheral lymphocytes were collected from 8 healthy adults (4 males and 4 females) and cultured in vitro with 12 well culture plates. They were stimulated by PHA-P and IL-2 after exposed to different doses of irradiation (0.00 - 8.00 Gy) and cultured for 7 d. The dose-effect curve was established after measuring TCR MF using flow cytometry. Also, using the same method, we separated and cultured the peripheral lymphocytes collected from 16 radiotherapy cancer patients, whose radiation styles and doses were different, and then measured TCR MF to estimate the whole equivalent dose of radiotherapy patients through the dose-effect curve. Peripheral blood was collected and cultured, chromosome aberration (dicentric and ring) was determined under microscope to estimate irradiation dose.

RESULTSThe relationship of dose-effect between the TCR MF and ionizing radiation (0.00 - 8.00 Gy) was well, the curve of large dose group (2.00 - 8.00 Gy), low dose group (0.00 - 1.00 Gy) and 0.00 - 8.00 Gy dose group were met with the quadratic polynomial model, the equation was TCR MF = -32.8579 + 20.5436D + 0.6341D(2), TCR MF = 1.796 + 0.017D + 5.155D(2) and TCR MF = -0.6229 + 6.305D + 0.6919D(2), respectively. D was the radiation dose (Gy). Using the established curve and the chromosome aberration method to estimate the systemic exposure dosage, the average relative deviation was 16.8%.

CONCLUSIONThe curve established by the TCR gene mutation analysis technology can be applied to exposure dose estimation of victims in ionization radiation accidents.