The Effect of Whole-body γ-irradiation on Localized β-irradiation-induced Skin Reactions in Mice

Abstract

The combined effects of whole-body radiation and localized radiation trauma have received scant experimental attention. However, in the recent accidents at Chernobyl and Goiania skin damage from β-contamination was combined with total-body radiation and in many cases the skin lesions which covered large surfaces of the body were severe and recovery was prolonged. This paper models the immunosuppressive effects of whole-body γ-radiation in the sublethal to lethal range (1–11 Gy) on the skin reactions produced by 50 Gy of superficial β-radiation. For γray doses < 4 Gy no synergistic effects were detectable. For γ-ray doses of 4, 6 and 8 Gy there was a 4–5-day prolongation in time-course of the skin reaction but no significant exacerbation of its severity. The overall time for the resolution of the skin reaction (45 days) was also unaffected by the relatively high whole-body doses. These rather surprising findings of minimal synergy between whole-body exposure and a localized severe β burn to the skin are perhaps explained by the mismatch between the maximal immunosuppression at 2–10 days postirradiation and the timing of the skin damage at 10–25 days.