Canine Serum Protein Responses to X-Irradiation.

It was of interest, in the absence of such data, to investigate the effects of x-irradiation on individual serum proteins, including immunoglobulin G. Doses of 600 and 800 rads to the abdominal areas of immature beagles were sufficient to evoke emesis and hemorrhages of lymph nodes and perilobular areas of the liver. Seven days after irradiation of 8–12 male dogs/dose, serum specimens were analyzed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and radial immunodiffusion. Radiation reduced serum protein and albumin by 12%, β2 by 27%, γ-globulin by 19%, and IgG by 35%, while increasing α2 by 50%. These results are in conformity with the radiation damage to lymph nodes (IgG decrease) and liver (plasma protein fall) and initiation of the inflammatory process (α2 rise). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]