CHANGES IN FLUORESCENT CHARACTERISTICS OF ACRIDINE-ORANGE STAINED RATLYMPHOCYTES AFTER ACUTE GAMMA-IRRADIATION

Changes of parameter alpha of rat blood lymphocytes after acute gamma- irradiation have been investigated by luminescence microspectral analy sis. Parameter a reflects the cell synthetic activity and represents t he ratio of intensities of the red (640 nm) and green (530 nm) compote nts the luminescence spectrum of acridine orange fluorochromed cells. It has been demonstrated that changes of parameter alpha occure in thr ee stages: a) shap decrease al the 1st or 2nd day after irradiation: b ) increase with the maximum at the 4th-15th day, c) fluctuations on th e level higher then the control values. At each stage there exist typi cal specific shapes of parameter alpha distribution histograms. These results indicate that this method may be used for control of the immun e system state during gamma-radiation sickness or in the process of hu man cancer radiation therapy.