Differences in the adaptive response to radiation damage in G0 human lymphocytes conditioned with hydrogen peroxide or low-dose X-rays.

We have carried out experiments to study the adaptive response in G0 human lymphocytes conditioned with either hydrogen peroxide or low-dose X-rays and challenged with 1.5 Gy of X-rays after stimulation. Peroxide conditioning treatment was given at different times before stimulation, while the low-dose irradiation was delivered at different dose rates just before stimulation of lymphocytes. A protective effect of pre-exposure to H2O2 against radiation damage detected as micronuclei in binucleated cells was evident, regardless of the time of conditioning treatment during G0. For low-dose-irradiated cells, on the other hand, the adaptation observed seemed to depend upon the dose rate, and never reached the extent observed in cells treated with peroxide.