Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026. Vol. 71. № 3
DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-3-53-59
T.Yu. Mushkarina1, E.G. Kuzmina1, L.Yu. Grivtsova1,2, S.A. Ivanov1,3, A.D. Kaprin3,4,5
The Effect of Gamma Radiation on Regulatory T Cells in Vitro
1 А.F. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre – branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre, Obninsk, Russia
2 National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Obninsk, Russia
3 Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
4 National Medical Research Radiological Centre, Obninsk, Russia
5 Р.A. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre, Moscow, Russia
Contact person: Т.Yu. Mushkarina, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To determine the sensitivity of T‑regulatory (Treg) to various doses of γ-radiation (2, 4, and 8 Gy) in vitro in primary lymphocyte cultures from healthy individuals and patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, to evaluate the effect of the time factor, and to compare their reactivity with other lymphocyte subsets.
Material and methods: Primary peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures from six healthy individuals and five patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas were studied. The cells were irradiated at doses of 2, 4, and 8 Gy and cultured for up to 6 days. Identification of Treg cells (CD45+CD4+CD25+CD127low/-) and other lymphocyte subsets (T cells, T helper cells, T cytotoxic cells, B and NK cells) was performed by multicolored flow cytofluorometry. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test for pairwise comparison and the Kruskal-Wallis test for multiple comparison.
Results: There were no statistically significant changes in the percentage and absolute number of Treg cells in response to radiation at the studied doses in both groups (healthy individuals and patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), p>0.05. However, in the culture of lymphocytes in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, there was a tendency to increase their percentage at 8 Gy (1.3‑fold, p=0.06). The dynamics of Treg cells were dependent on the duration of cultivation. In healthy individuals, the absolute number of Treg cells decreased sharply by day 6 (11.5 times compared to day 1, p<0.05). In patients with non–Hodgkin’s lymphomas, the decrease occurred faster, reaching significant values by day 3 (2.2 times, p<0.05) and especially pronounced by day 5 (10‑fold, p<0.05), which may be due to the additional suppressive effect of tumor B cells. In a comparative analysis with other lymphocyte subsets in a group of healthy individuals, B cells were the most radiosensitive, while T-cytotoxic cells and NK cells showed the greatest resistance. Treg cells showed average sensitivity, being also more resistant than the general population of T helper cells. In the group of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, NK cells, on the contrary, had the greatest radiosensitivity, which is potentially an unfavorable factor for antitumor immunity.
Conclusion: The in vitro study demonstrated intermediate resistance of Treg cells to gamma radiation at doses of 2, 4, and 8 Gy. Accurate assessment of the effects of ionizing radiation on Treg cells requires consideration of both dose characteristics and cellular kinetics over time following irradiation, as well as the presence of a pathological process.
Keywords: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, gamma radiation, regulatory T cells, lymphocyte subsets, in vitro tests
For citation: Mushkarina TYu, Kuzmina EG, Grivtsova LYu, Ivanov SA, Kaprin AD. The Effect of Gamma Radiation on Regulatory T Cells in Vitro. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026;71(3):53–59. DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-3-53-59
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Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Financing. The study had no sponsorship.
Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.
Article received: 20.02.2026. Accepted for publication: 25.03.2026.