Phenotypical characteristics of leukocytes of chernobyl clean-up workers from Latvia: Use of fluorescent probe ABM

A fluorescent probe - aminoderivative of benzanthrone, ABM, synthesised in Riga Technical University (Riga, Latvia), has been previously shown to localise within the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes and reflect structural and functional properties of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In this work ABM was used to characterise the PBMC membranes of 97 Chernobyl clean-up workers from Latvia. After the addition of the probe to the PBMC suspension, the ABM fluorescence intensity was measured, depolarisation value P was calculated, and emission spectra were recorded. Screening of all individuals revealed five different patterns of fluorescence spectra. Four of these patterns clearly differed from those previously recorded by us in PBMC of healthy individuals and patients with tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, or oncologic diseases. The spectral patterns of the ABM-labelled suspensions were associated with the ability of leucocytes to produce interferons, with the levels of immunoglobulins A, G, and M, with the concentration of lead in peripheral blood, and with several neurologic diseases. The use of ABM allowed revealing phenotypic differences between PBMC of Chernobyl clean-up workers and of individuals that had never had professional contact with radioactivity.