Low-dose irradiation of human fibroblasts leads to delayed acceleration of proliferation of their progeny

Abstract

We have demonstrated for the first time that a single exposure to γ-radiation at a dose of 3 cGy on HELF-104 human embryonic lung fibroblasts in early passages leads to the delayed stimulation of proliferation of the progeny of irradiated cells by 30–37 days. Moreover, the general changes in dynamics of proliferation after irradiation with low doses (3 and 5 cGy) are more pronounced than after high-dose irradiation (2 Gy). We suggest that this effect may play an important role in the formation of the specific effects of low doses of ionizing radiation, as detected by integral endpoints at higher levels of organization of living matter.