Unstable and stable chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes of people exposed to Chernobyl fallout in Bryansk, Russia

Analyses of unstable and stable chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes were used in the assessment of radiation exposure of residents of a village situated in the Chernobyl fallout-contamination zone of Bryansk, Russia. Blood samples were taken from subjects residing in villages with high 1100 kBq m Cs; Mirnyi 2 137 and very low 37 kBq m Cs; Krasnyi Rog contamination, 7 years after the Chernobyl accident. The groups were matched by age, sex, smoking habits and previous medical radiological exposures. A total of 200 people 100 exposed, 100 controls were analysed for the presence of unstable aberrations from Giemsa-stained slides. To study stable aberrations, chromosome painting analyses were performed on 100 subjects 50 exposed, 50 controls, using painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2 and 4 and a pancentromeric probe. People living in the contaminated area showed significantly higher rates of unstable chromosome-type aberrations but not chromatid-type aberrations in their lymphocytes, indic...