Changes in DNA and surface properties of peripheral blood leukocytes in monkeys after whole-body γ-irradiation

: Changes of Macaca nemestrina and Rhesus blood DNA have been studied up to 5 days after the total uniform gamma-irradiation in doses 6.2 and 6.5 Gy. The content of nucleotide ATrich DNA has been evaluated in the fractions of leucocytes with the various surface adherence properties. The dynamics of the content nucleotide AT-DNA and blood leucocytes were similar at the both monkey species. The evaluation of structural state DNA in the blood nucleotide with the fluorescent dyes (ethidium bromide and 4; 6-diamidine-2-phenylindole) demonstrated that the important changes in the polynucleotide structure occurred from 6 to 24 h after irradiation and maintained up to 5 days. Adhesive capacity changes were reversible but they preceded the DNA structural changes. At 24 h postirradiation non-adhesive cells with relative higher AT-DNA content were found.