Revision 1
March 19, 1998
by Radiation, Science, and Health, Inc.,
Edited by J. Muckerheide

1.2.1
Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors

1.2.1.2
Non-Cancer>

References

"The effects upon immunity from whole-body exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation found in experimental animals appear to be similar to those seen in humans. Immune cell response was generally greater in survivors from Hiroshima (90% received <50 cGy) after 40 years than it was in Japanese controls; both groups now reside in the U.S. (Bloom 1983, 1988) Parameters of cellular immunity studied were cell-mediated cytotoxicity, interferon production, and mitogenic responses to allogeneic lymphocytes and phytohematagglutinin (Bloom 1988). Only in the toxicity test did both sexes show a stimulation, p <0.03. Lymphocytes from Japanese bomb survivors who were exposed to 0.01 to 0.75 Gy in 1945 showed more DNA synthesis capability than controls; this was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation. (Aliyama 1989) No change in activity could be attributed to a specific dose after 40 years. (Kato 1987) Similar persistent effects were noted in Chinese peasants living where chronic background radiation is three times that of controls (Liu 1986,1991,1985,1982,1983).