Synergistic Effect Of Passive Cigarette Smoke On Spleen And Bone Marrow Of Fractionated Low-Dose Whole Body X-Irradiated Albino Rats

Introduction: Passive cigarette smoke causes cellular damage and even death. While ionizing radiation has been used in various fields, a combination of passive cigarette smoke and ionizing radiation has been linked to the development and exacerbation of countless diseases. In this perspective, the effect of passive cigarette smoke and fractionated low-dose whole-body X-irradiation totaling 0.83Gy on Albino rats were investigated. Methods: The rats were divided into four groups and exposed to fractionated low-dose whole-body X-irradiation for 3 days (total of 0.82Gy), passive cigarette smoke, or both in a smoke machine model for 28 days. Histological examinations of the spleen and bone marrow of euthanized rats were performed to investigate cellular changes in the haematopoietic system. Results: The results showed progressive hyperplasia of white pulps, regression of red pulp, constriction of the central vein in the spleen, and the onset of progressive mild hypocellularity of the bone marrow, indicative of mild aplastic anaemia. These effects were observed with marked severity in the group exposed to both radiation and cigarette smoke. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the deleterious effect of passive cigarette (second-hand) smoke and X-irradiation on the spleen and bone marrow, necessitating the control of tobacco and X-irradiation exposure.