Objective: To study the adaptive response mechanisms in high background radiation area (HBRA) among Yangjiang local people through gene and protein expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and S100A6 in peripheral blood and sputum in inhabitants of HBRA.

Methods: A total of 53 male inhabitants were selected from HBRA in Yangjiang as the exposure group, while 53 male inhabitants were selected from Enping (control area, CA)as the control group. The content of RAGE and S100A6 gene and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting assay. Thermo luminescent dosemeter(TLD) assay was used to measure the outside dose and estimate the effective dose.

Results: The effective dose in CA and HBRA was respectively 1.95 mSv and 6.24 mSv, which was 3 fold difference. Compared with CA, RAGE and S100A6 expression were significantly reduced in both gene and protein level in HBRA. The relative median mRNA expression of RAGE and S100A6 in peripheral blood were respectively 0.28, 1.06 and 0.16, 0.79 in CA and HBRA group, there was significance (with analysis Z values of -2.587 and -2.328 respectively, P < 0.05) with Wilcoxon rank test. For the protein of sputum, the relative median expression were respectively 2.98, 2.25 and 0.53, 0.47 with significant difference (with analysis Z values of -2.201 and -2.366 respectively, P < 0.05) by Wilcoxon rank test.

Conclusion: The low expression of RAGE and S100A6 in HBRA group might be correlated with the adaptive response and the low mortality of cancer in HBRA.