Different effects of electromagnetic pulse and ionizing radiation on survival rate of human intestinal epithelial cells

AIM To investigate the bioeffect of human derived cells under electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and ionizing radiation. METHODS Electromagnetic pulse generator or 60 Co γ ray was used to irradiate human intestinal epithelial cells; MTT colorimetry was used to detect the survival rate of the irradiated cells. RESULTS When the radiation of EMP was at 90 kV·m -1 with the increase of EMP number (1~15 pulses), the cellular survival rate gradually declined and the decline was most significant at 15 pulses ( P 0.01). 96 h after the irradiation, the cellular survival rate of the irradiated groups was only 80.0% of the control ( P 0.01). When ionizing radiation was used and the radiation dosage was increased (4~12 Gy), no significant difference in cell survival rate was observed between the irradiated groups and the control 24 h after the irradiation ( P 0.05). But 96 h after the irradiation, the survival rate of all the irradiated groups were lower than that of the control ( P 0.01). CONCLUSION Under the condition of our experiment, EMP and ionizing radiation can both reduce the cellular survival rate (CSR). The cell survival rate increases with time after the irradiation in the case of EMP, while decreases progressively in the case of ionizing radiation.