[The intensity of proteolysis in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats in the early period of acute radiation injury].

Comparative analysis of biochemical indices that reflect the proteolysis rate in rat peripheral blood lymphocytes in normal conditions and during the first 4-6 h after whole-body single uniform gamma-irradiation with lethal (7.5 Gy) and nonlethal (3 Gy) doses has revealed that the pronounced activation of proteolysis in lymphocytes and the disturbances in the inhibitor/protease balance are characteristic of the severe form of radiation damage with fatal outcome. Simultaneously changes occur in biochemical indices of plasma that reflect a catabolic pathway of metabolism in the whole-body. The absence of similar changes in the blood of the survived animals permits to recommend the biochemical indices under study to be used for early prognosis of the radiation affection outcome.