Abstract
Effects of X-ray irradiation to the liver were studied in rabbits with special reference to the free radicals induced by the irradiation at various doses of 5, 10, 20 and 40Gy. Results were summarized as follows:
1) APTT and PT significantly prolonged immediately after irradiation and on day 1, and recovered thereafter to the control levels.
2) Levels of blood coagulation factors I, II and plasminogen, t-PA and plasma prekallikrein showed similar trends, namely, an initial rapid decrease immediately after irradiation, followed by a transient increase on day 3 and a subsequent recovery to the control level on days 7 and 10.
These changes coincided with the prolongation of APTT and PT.
3) The SOD activity and the plasma albumin level also decreased immediately after irradiation, recovered once from 3 to 7 days and decreased again on days 10.
The decreased SOD activity noted immediately after irradiation indicates production of free radiacals induced by the irradiation. This finding may suggest that the free radicals thus produced may have perturbed blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, at least in part, by blocking the secretion of relevant proteins from the hepatocytes.
