Project description:The mammalian brain is especially sensitive to ionizing radiation during development, as shown by the increased occurrence of mental retardation and small head size in children who were in utero exposed to ionizing radiation after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These effects of prenatal irradiation can be mimicked by irradiation of mouse embryos during the organogenesis period. In order to better understand the early effects of ionizing radiation on the embryonic brain and immature neurons, we performed a microarray analysis on brains from mice irradiated with different doses (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 Gy) at E11. RNA was extracted at either 2 or 24 h post-irradiation.
Project description:The mammalian brain is especially sensitive to ionizing radiation during development, as shown by the increased occurrence of mental retardation and small head size in children who were in utero exposed to ionizing radiation after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These effects of prenatal irradiation can be mimicked by irradiation of mouse embryos during the organogenesis period. In order to better understand the early effects of ionizing radiation on the embryonic brain and immature neurons, we performed a microarray analysis on brains from mice irradiated with different doses at E11 and E14, as well as primary cortical neuron cultures after 14 h in vitro. RNA was extracted at either 2 h (brains) or 6 h (neurons) post-irradiation.
Project description:Background: The brain undergoes ionizing radiation exposure in many clinical situations, particularly during radiotherapy for brain tumors. The critical role of hippocampus in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced neurocognitive dysfunction is well recognized. Aim: The goal of this study is to test the potential contribution of non-targeted effects in the detrimental response of hippocampus to irradiation and to elucidate the mechanisms involved. Material and Methods: C57Bl/6 mice were whole body (WBI) or partial body (PBI) irradiated with 0.1 or 2.0 Gy of X-rays or sham irradiated. PBI consisted in the exposure of the lower third of the mouse body, whilst the upper two thirds were shielded. Hippocampi were collected 15 days or 6 months post-irradiation and a multi-omics approach was adopted to assess the molecular changes in non-coding RNAs, proteins and metabolic levels, as well as histological changes in the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis. Results: Notably, at 2.0 Gy the pattern of early molecular and histopathological changes induced in the hippocampus at 15 days following PBI was similar in quality and quantity to the effects induced by WBI, thus providing a proof of principle of the existence of out-of-target radiation response in the hippocampus of conventional mice. We detected major alterations in DAG/IP3 and TGF- signaling pathways as well as in the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of long-term neuronal synaptic plasticity and synapse organization, coupled with defects in NSCs self-renewal in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. However, compared to the persistence of the WBI effects, most of the PBI effects were only transient and tended to decrease at 6 months post-irradiation, indicating important mechanistic difference. On the contrary, at low dose we identified a progressive accumulation of molecular defects that tended to manifest at later post-irradiation times. These data, indicating that both targeted and non-targeted radiation effects might contribute to the pathogenesis of hippocampal radiation-damage, have general implications for human health
Project description:Twenty-five miRNAs were identified as having differential expression post-irradiation in CL1-0 or CL1-5 cells. Among these miRNAs, miR-449a, which was down-regulated in CL1-0 cells at 24 h after irradiation, was chosen for further investigation. Overexpression of miR-449a in CL1-0 cells effectively increased irradiation-induced DNA damage and apoptosis, altered the cell cycle distribution and eventually led to sensitization of CL1-0 to irradiation. MiR-449a might be a novel radiosensitizer for clinical applications. Two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (CL1-0 and CL1-5) with different metastatic ability and radiosensitivity were used. In order to understand the regulatory mechanisms of differential radiosensitivity in these isogenic tumor cells, both CL1-0 and CL1-5 were treated with 10 Gy radiation, and were harvested respectively at 0, 1, 4, and 24 h after radiation exposure. The changes in expression of miRNA upon irradiation were examined using Illumina Human microRNA BeadChips.
Project description:Exposure to radiation provokes cellular responses controlled in part by gene expression networks. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which mostly regulate gene expression by degrading the messages or inhibiting translation. Here, we investigated changes in miRNA expression patterns after low (0.1 Gy) and high (2.0 Gy) doses of X-ray in human fibroblasts. At early (0.5 h) and late (6 and 24 h) time points, irradiation caused qualitative and quantitative differences in the down-regulation of miRNA levels, including miR-92b, 137, 660, and 656. A transient up-regulation of miRNAs was observed after 2 h post-irradiation following high doses of radiation, including miR-558 and 662. MicroRNA levels were inversely correlated with targets from mRNA and proteomic profiling after 2.0 Gy of radiation. MicroRNAs miR-579, 608, 548-3p, and 585 are noted for targeting genes involved in radioresponsive mechanisms, such as cell cycle checkpoint and apoptosis. We suggest here a model in which miRNAs may act as "hub" regulators of specific cellular responses, immediately down-regulated so as to stimulate DNA repair mechanisms, followed by up-regulation involved in suppressing apoptosis for cell survival. Taken together, miRNAs may mediate signaling pathways in sequential fashion in response to radiation, and may serve as biodosimetric markers of radiation exposure. The gene expression patterns in human fibroblasts after 2.0 Gy of low-LET radiation was determined at 2 and 24 hrs post-irradiation time in technical triplicates. Control non-irradiated samples were also prepared in triplicates.
Project description:This is a genome-wide approach to identifying genes persistently induced in the mouse mammary gland by acute whole body low dose ionizing radiation (10cGy), 1 and 4 weeks after exposure. Gene expression that is modified under these parameters were compared between Tgfb1 wild type and heterozygote littermates in order to determine which genes induced or repressed by radiation were mediated via Tgfb1 status. Differential gene expression was analyzed in Tgfb1 heterozygote and wild type littermate 4th mammary glands, after whole body exposure to an acute dose of 10cGy ionizing radiation. Estrus cycle was normalized in all mice two days prior to irradiation by injection with an estrogen and progesterone mixture. It is widely believed that the carcinogenic action of ionizing radiation is due to targeted DNA damage and resulting mutations, but there is also substantial evidence that non-targeted radiation effects alter epithelial phenotype and the stromal microenvironment. Activation of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta) is a non-targeted radiation effect that mediates cell fate decisions following DNA damage and regulates microenvironment composition; it could either suppress or promote cancer. Gene expression profiling shown herein demonstrates that low dose radiation (10 cGy) elicits persistent changes in Tgfb1 wild type and heterozygote murine mammary gland that are highly modulated by TGFbeta. We asked if such non-targeted radiation effects contribute to carcinogenesis by using a novel radiation chimera model. Unirradiated Trp53 null mammary epithelium was transplanted to the mammary stroma of mice previously exposed to a single low (10 -100 cGy) radiation dose. By 300 days, 100% of transplants in irradiated hosts at either 10 or 100 cGy had developed Trp53 null breast carcinomas compared to 54% in unirradiated hosts. Tumor growth rate was also increased by high, but not low, dose host irradiation. In contrast, irradiation of Tgfb1 heterozygote mice prior to transplantation failed to decrease tumor latency, or increase growth rate at any dose. Host irradiation significantly reduced the latency of invasive ductal carcinoma compared to spindle cell carcinoma, as well as those tumors negative for smooth muscle actin in wild type but not Tgfb1 heterozygote mice. However, irradiation of either host genotype significantly increased the frequency of estrogen receptor negative tumors. These data demonstrate two concepts critical to understanding radiation risks. First, non-targeted radiation effects can significantly promote the frequency and alter the features of epithelial cancer. Second, radiation-induced TGFbeta activity is a key mechanism of tumor promotion. Keywords: Differential gene expression after low dose irradiation Two genotypes: TGBbeta1 heterozygote and wildtype mouse mammary glands. Two time points post-10cGy-irradiation per genotype (1 week, 4 weeks); control time point was 1 week post-sham-irradiation. Two or three replicates per time point.
Project description:Throughout adulthood, the replacement of cells lost to physiological turnover or injury in planarians is sustained by the proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells known as neoblasts. Because neoblasts are the only known mitotic cells in asexual planarians, they can be efficiently eliminated by irradiation without significantly affecting post-mitotic differentiated cells. We uncovered a cohort of transcripts specific to the stem cells and their division progeny by defining the expression profiles of wild type and irradiated animals at different time points after irradiation. RNA from wild type animals, or from animals 24 hours or seven days after exposure to radiation, were compared to a common reference.
Project description:Exposure to radiation provokes cellular responses controlled in part by gene expression networks. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which mostly regulate gene expression by degrading the messages or inhibiting translation. Here, we investigated changes in miRNA expression patterns after low (0.1 Gy) and high (2.0 Gy) doses of X-ray in human fibroblasts. At early (0.5 h) and late (6 and 24 h) time points, irradiation caused qualitative and quantitative differences in the down-regulation of miRNA levels, including miR-92b, 137, 660, and 656. A transient up-regulation of miRNAs was observed after 2 h post-irradiation following high doses of radiation, including miR-558 and 662. MicroRNA levels were inversely correlated with targets from mRNA and proteomic profiling after 2.0 Gy of radiation. MicroRNAs miR-579, 608, 548-3p, and 585 are noted for targeting genes involved in radioresponsive mechanisms, such as cell cycle checkpoint and apoptosis. We suggest here a model in which miRNAs may act as "hub" regulators of specific cellular responses, immediately down-regulated so as to stimulate DNA repair mechanisms, followed by up-regulation involved in suppressing apoptosis for cell survival. Taken together, miRNAs may mediate signaling pathways in sequential fashion in response to radiation, and may serve as biodosimetric markers of radiation exposure.
Project description:Irradiation of the K-rasLA1 mouse model with a fractionated dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles increases the incidence of invasive carcinoma compared to unirradiated controls or those irradiated with an acute dose. Microarray profiling was perfromed on whole lungs from K-rasLA1 mice in order to determine global expression changes in the lung following radiation exposure. RNA was extracted from K-rasLA1 lungs from unirradiated control animals or those irradiated with a fractionated or acute dose of 1.0Gy 56Fe- particles 70 days post-irradiation when lungs are still histologically indistiguishable and only contain benign lesions.
Project description:Background: Non-human primates, such as Rhesus macaques, are a powerful model for studies of the cellular and physiological effects of radiation, development of radiation biodosimetry, and for understanding the impact of radiation on human health. Here, we study the effects of 4 Gy total body irradiation (TBI) at the molecular level out to 28 days and at the cytogenetic level out to 56 days after exposure. We combine the global transcriptomic and proteomic responses in peripheral whole blood to assess the impact of acute TBI exposure at extended times post irradiation. Results: The overall mRNA response in the first week reflects a strong inflammatory reaction, infection response with neutrophil and platelet activation. At 1 week, cell cycle arrest and re-entry processes were enriched among mRNA changes, oncogene-induced senescence and MAPK signaling among the proteome changes. Influenza life cycle and infection pathways initiate earlier in mRNA and are reflected among the proteomic changes during the first week. Transcription factor proteins SRC, TGF and NFATC2 were immediately induced at 1 day after irradiation with increased transcriptional activity as predicted by mRNA changes persisting up to 1 week. Cell counts revealed a mild / moderate hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) reaction to irradiation with expected lymphopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia that resolved within 30 days. Measurements of micronuclei per binucleated cell levels in cytokinesis-blocked T-lymphocytes remained high in the range 0.27-0.33 up to 28 days and declined to 0.1 by day 56. Conclusions: Overall, we show that the TBI 4 Gy dose in NHPs induces many cellular changes that persist up to 1 month after exposure, consistent with damage, death, and repopulation of blood cells.