Electrophoretic mobility of erythrocytes exposed to accelerated helium nuclei or to gamma-rays, as modified by adeturone.

The electrophoretic mobility of human erythrocytes exposed in whole blood or in cell suspensions to relatively low doses (0.7-2.5 Gy) of accelerated helium nuclei (4.6 GeV/nucleon) or of gamma-rays was found to diminish with increase in radiation dose, as measured at 3 h post-irradiation. Pre-treatment with a radioprotectant, adeturone (S-2-aminoethylisothiuronium adenosine-5'-triphosphate), allowed electrophoretic mobility to be maintained within normal limits, with more stable values in the case of alpha-irradiations. The experimental evidence is discussed in terms of the protectant's involvement in repair of radiation-induced conformational changes in surface membrane components.