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The author's original experiments and ideas have been summarized, which concern the role of natural background radiation in maintenance of electromagnetic information essential for existence of the living organism as an integral whole.

It was shown that tissues of alive healthy hyman organism (hands, surface of breast, hair) permanently emitted secondary biogenous radiation (SBR), which was registered with biological detectors. The hypothesis was suggested that natural background radiation permanently excited biopolymers (proteins, nucleic acids) in condensed state and induced electromagnetic field of SBR which is vitally important for human organism. The field partly extends beyond the organism, where it is registered with sensitive biological detectors.

The samples of blood freshly taken from healthy men were gamma-irradiated with a dose of 10 Gy. It was shown that after the treatment the blood gained the capacity to emit secondary biogenic radiation. Emission lasted for some hours, passed through quartz-glass cuvette and was revealed by stimulating influence on biological detector (sprouting seeds).

The method for a production of synthetic quinoid radiotoxins in vitro has been developed and described. Synthetic quinoid radiotoxins like quinoid radiotoxins (qRT) which are being produced from irradiated tissues of the organisms have demonstrated high toxicity at relatively high qRT concentrations. However, when synthetic qRT is introduced into the organisms in ultra-small concentrations, one can observe the opposite action: the resistance of the organism increases and a number of essential functions are activated. Quinoid radiotoxins are assumed to take part in regulatory processes responsible for radiation hormesis.

If is demonstrated that native protein of egg-white after being gamma-irradiated with law doses is able to stimulate transition of cells of remote biological detector from non-cycling state to proliferation even if irradiated protein is separated from detector by quartz-glass. Animal tissues which have a high protein content (freshly cut hair; insect bodies) reveal the same ability. The role of natural background radiation in the maintenance of energy excitation, state of living tissue proteins is discussed.

Suggested is a new conception about participation of natural environmental radiation in stimulation development of cells. According this conception atomic radiation, in low doses, transfer DNA in excited state with formation polaritons, with long time give coherent radiation likeness mitogenic rays discover by A. G. Gurwitsch.

21-day-old rats subjected to nourishing by KCl (20-30 mg per day) without radioactive isotope 40K. Besides the decrease of 40K content in animal tissue (30-50%) a reducing of body weight was obtained. In the second set of experiments in the lead (9 cm thick) chamber with low (20 times) background radiation the trustworthy decrease of young mouse development was observed under the simultaneous reducing other components of background radiation (radon, products of its disintegration, gamma, beta radiation, cosmic radiation). Possible mechanisms of necessity of 40K natural concentration for the normal development of the animal organism are discussed.

The different cellular responses to high (suppressive) and low (stimulant) doses of atomic radiation suggest understanding of radiation hormesis, since the well developed mechanisms of damaging effect of atomic radiation (radiodamage of DNA, chromosomal aberrations, death of radiosensitive cells) cannot explain the converse effects of low stimulant radiation doses. Here the direct or indirect excitation of membrane receptors comes to the foreground. The excitation activates membrane-bound enzymes which control many vitally important processes. Now that an increasing proportion of the general population is exposed to low chronic doses of ionizing radiation, the knowledge of radiation hormesis acquires great importance, particularly, for temporal predictions of its consequences. Although this problem is far from complete understanding, it is, undoubtedly, wrong to estimate the hazard of the low radiation doses by straight extrapolation of the data obtained with much higher doses and during shorter time periods.

Chronic gamma irradiation of rats at a dose rate of 12.9 rad/day for 155 days (total dose 20 Gy) did not change the cholesterol level in the brush border membrane of the small intestine. Maintenance of rats on a beta-carotene-enriched diet (daily throughout the irradiation period, at a diurnal dose of 3 mg/kg body weight produced an increase in cholesterol levels in the small intestinal brush border membranes. The phospholipid level after gamma irradiation alone did not change, but it was increased in gamma-irradiated rats fed with carotene, this increase being most pronounced for sphingomyelin. Beta-carotene decreased the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in the brush border membrane of irradiated rats. Activation of lipid synthesis (as seen from inclusion of 2-14C-acetate in the epitheliocyte lipids of irradiated animals) and no influence of beta-carotene on the inclusion of the label in small intestine epitheliocytes of irradiated animals have been revealed. In the presynaptic membranes of brain nerve endings, chronic gamma irradiation of animals produced a deep fall of cholesterol and phospholipid levels. Also, a tendency was revealed for stimulation of transport of the neurotransmitter amino acids GABA and L-glutamate across the presynaptic membranes of nerve endings. Beta-carotene normalized the phospholipid and cholesterol levels in brain presynaptic membranes of irradiated rats, as well as decreased L-glutamate transport. It is assumed that the modifying and normalizing effects of beta-carotene on the lipid exchange of plasma membranes upon chronic irradiation of animals and permanent introduction of the drug are associated with the radioprotector activity of beta-carotene.

Two hours before irradiation (7.5 Gy) mice were injected with quinoid radiotoxins in concentrations close to those formed in mouse blood after gamma-irradiation with a dose of 10 cGy. This increased the survival rate (from 10-20% to 80%), prevented the radiation-induced weight loss, and increased catalase activity in the liver and blood of exposed animals.

Different phase changes were observed in adenylate cyclase (AC) activity of pulmonary tissue plasma membranes under chronic gamma-irradiation of rats at a dose-rate of 12.9 cGy/day. Comparison of AC basal activity with the data reported earlier on changes in ornithine decarboxylase activity under similar radiation conditions showed unidirectional changes which indicated that cAMP-dependent processes were possibly involved in radiation modification of ornithine decarboxylase.

In experiments with Raji cells, it has been shown that the serum growth factors activate the growth of gamma-irradiated (0.36 mGy/day) culture. The authors discuss the role of radiation stimulation of membrane receptors in recepting natural effectors.

Chronic exposure of rat pups to gamma radiation, during their intensive growth, at a dose rate of 0.01, 0.11 and 0.5 cGy/day did not affect their development throughout a two-month period of observation. At a dose rate of 12.9 cGy/day rat growth was inhibited during the first 15 days. With further exposure at the same dose rate (over a period of up to five months) the rate of rat pup growth was restored, which indicated the presence of adaptation processes.

Sorption by SKN-2M coal of various endogenous substances, including quinones (tyrosine oxidation products) and quinoid radiotoxins (QR) isolated from gamma-irradiated plant and animal tissues has been studied. The fact that the precursors of QR-DOPA, tyrosine and QR, isolated from gamma-irradiated plant and animal tissues, are readily absorbed by the sorbent under study supports the major contribution of QR removal from the organism to the therapeutic effect of hemosorption after gamma irradiation of animals with minimal lethal doses.

The influence of continuous gamma irradiation on the lipids of nuclei and chromatin of rat liver at a dose-rate of 0,129 Gy/day for 155 days (a total dose of 20 Gy) and by feeding of ubiquinone-9 has been studied. The amount of phosphatidylcholine with phosphatidylserine and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine in liver nuclei of irradiated rats was found to increase. Ubiquinone-9 had a normalizing effect. A decrease of cardiolipin was observed in the liver chromatin of irradiated rats. The amount of free fatty acids had a tendency to decrease in homogenate, nuclei and liver chromatin of irradiated rats. Ubiquinone was found to increase the amount of free fatty acids up to the control level. The amount of cholesterol in nuclei was increased after irradiation and that in chromatin tended to rise. Ubiquinone-9 significantly decreased the amount of cholesterol in nuclei and chromatin of irradiated rats.

Ornithine decarboxylase activity changes in some tissues of chronically gamma-irradiated rats (0.54 cGy/h). The radiation effect is a function of the life span of continuously exposed animals. The data obtained indicate that adaptation is possible, at a metabolic level, with the restricted chronic gamma-irradiation of animals.

A study was made of the response of adenylate cyclase of cytoplasmic membranes of pulmonary tissue to chronic gamma irradiation of rats at a low-dose rate (0.036 cGy/day). The adenylate cyclase complex receptors were shown to respond to such exposure by activation of the enzyme they control and by being more sensitive to their specific effector, isoproterenol. The role of receptors in the manifestation of radiation hormesis is discussed.

Development of rat pups was shown to accelerate (body mass made up 121% of control) after gamma-irradiation on day 21 of the postnatal development (2.88 cGy, dose-rate of 0.12 cGy/h). Higher cumulative doses (14.4 and 144 cGy) did not influence the body mass growth, and inhibition was only caused by doses exceeding 150 cGy.

A study was made of the activity of adenylate cyclase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase in rat thymus and liver various time intervals following nonlethal fractionated gamma-irradiation (2 Gy three times at a week interval). There was a positive correlation between the activity of cAMP metabolism enzymes and the radiation modification of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) observed before. It is suggested that cAMP system is involved in ODC activity regulation in the exposed tissue.

The ability of polypeptides consisted of aspartic and glutamic acids to inhibit the repair and to promote the formation of unrepaired double-strand DNA breaks and chromosomal aberrations in gamma-ray induced Chinese hamster cells was shown. A complete inhibition of the double-strand DNA breaks repair was observed at the concentrations of 20 mu M/l (polyglutamic acid with molecular weight 2000-15,000 daltons) and 100 mu M/l (aspartylglutamic acid with molecular weight 1500-4500 daltons). Both polypeptides were low toxic at the given concentrations.

The radiobiological studies carried out in conditions of lower and slightly increased natural radiation background have prompted an idea of "low doses" in radiobiology which is proposed for discussion. The author emphasizes that the difference between the leading molecular and cellular mechanisms that come into play under the effect of high- and low-level atomic radiation makes it incorrect to assess the risk from low radiation doses on the basis of the regularities obtained with high doses.

Gamma-irradiated serum albumin activated L-tyrosine oxidation to 3,4-dioxyphenyl alanine (DOPA) and forms adducts with DOPA oxidation products. These adducts are more resistant to proteolysis and have bactericidal and mutagenic capacity. A possible role of such adducts in a radiation damage to the organism is discussed.

The response of the receptor of plant origin, phytochrome and the receptor of rat lung cytoplasmic membrane adenylate cyclase to chronic, growth- and development-stimulating low-dose gamma-radiation (0.36 and 0.036 cGy/day) has been studied. The influence of radiation results in sensitization of receptors to specific effectors and receptor-mediated stimulation of corresponding enzymes.

Protective and therapeutic effect of ubiquinone-8 was demonstrated on rats exposed to 8 Gy radiation. There was a 16-20% increase in the survival rate of the irradiated rats as compared with the controls. The per os administration of ubiquinone-8 during a five-month period in conditions of chronic exposure arrested the radiation-induced accumulation of lipids in rat liver and somewhat improved the dynamics of the body mass growth in the exposed rats.

Basal and stimulated activity of adenylate cyclase (cyclizing ATP-pyrophosphate lyase, E.C. 4.6.1.1., AC) in plasma membranes of pulmonary tissue was being studied during a year after fractionated irradiation of rats (2 GyX3). Basal and hormone-stimulated activity of AC was shown to vary significantly from normal 6 and 12 months after irradiation. The exposed membranes responded differently to AC activation by isoproterenol and F-.

In addition to the growth of low molecular weight quinoid radiotoxins the toxic effects of albumin were registered in rat plasma 4-24 h following gamma-irradiation. It is assumed that adducts of albumin with quinoid radiotoxins are formed and contribute to the development of radiation injury to critical organism tissues.

The effect of chronic radiation, 100, 1000 and 4000 times exceeding the natural background radiation, on embryogenesis of silkworm, Bombyx mori has been investigated. It is shown that low level ionizing radiation shortens by several hours the period of embryogenesis while the larva mass increases as the development proceeds. A single preincubational exposure of silkworm eggs to a dose of 2 Gy increases the mass of larvae as well as the cocoon shell weight, silk-bearing and the raw silk production.

Evidence was obtained that beta-carotene injected to rats subcutaneously or per os two times, 4 h and 19 h, before irradiation reduced their death rate from acute affection. The effect was almost invariable with the drug administered either before or after irradiation. The radioprotective efficacy of beta-carotene was attributed to its ability to scavenge active oxygen forms.

The transfer of de novo synthesized lipids from microsomes to lipid non-synthesizing membranes was studied in vivo and in vitro from the ratios of specific radioactivities of [14C]cholesterol, [14C] and [32P]phosphatidylcholine and [32P]phosphatidylethanolamine in the nuclei and mitochondria to that in microsomes. The radioactivity of lipids transferred from microsomes to mitochondria and nuclei was identical both in vitro and in vivo and when the lipid-exchange protein of the 105 000 g supernatant was used. Acceleration of lipid metabolism in the liver of gamma-irradiated rats was concomitant with the increase in the rate of labeled cholesterol transfer cation to liver cell nuclei and mitochondria, but remained unchanged in in vitro studies involving lipid-exchange protein. The reduction of phosphatidylethanolamine transfer to the nuclei in vitro and in vivo diminished in the same way. The existence in the cell of mechanisms of transfer of de novo synthesized cholesterol other than lipid-exchange protein is postulated.

A decrease in the induced synthesis of glucokinase in the liver, at the time of spontaneous appearance of the enzyme, was observed in suckling rats kept for 10 days in a chamber with a decreased (by 10 times) natural radiation background. No changes were noted in the glucokinase synthesis induction after restoration of natural radioactivity by introducing of uranium salts.

In experiments on glucose-6-phosphatase and tyrosine aminotransferase it was shown that radiation induces changes in enzymic differentiation in perinatal rat liver. A study was made of the probable reasons for the observed changes. It was shown that the macromolecular system of the protein enzyme synthesis was not damaged by the radiation doses used. The observed decrease in glucose-6-phosphatase activity during late embryogenesis, after pre-irradiation at early organogenesis, is eliminated by administration of exogenous thyroxine. A radiation-induced rise in the tyrosine aminotransferase activity during the perinatal period correlated with the cyclic AMP system status. It is proposed that modification of enzymic differentiation after irradiation results from the change in the amount of inductors.

The initial steps of radiation carcinogenesis have been briefly surveyed. Actuality of their further research is shown on the molecular level. There is a discussion going on about the close connection of such research with basic directions in the development of biology, such as: genome destabilization, gene repression and activation, regulation of growth activity factors, the role of biomembranes in the processes, and synergism in the action of factors on live systems.