Project description:The effects of high-dose ionizing radiation (HDIR) exposure on the immune system are largely understood with consensus, yet there remains a fragmented understanding of the impact of low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) on immune homeostasis, especially in sustained exposure conditions. This study investigates the effects of continuous LDIR exposure on the murine immune system, focusing on transcriptomic responses and cellular perturbations following low-dose-rate whole-body -radiation. Female 18-week-old C57BL/6 mice were continuously exposed to low-dose-rate 60Co radiation over a period of 7 days, resulting in cumulative absorbed doses of 10 mGy and 100 mGy. Our findings indicate that the LDIR exposure induced, at most, only minimal transcriptomic perturbations to the immune system in C57BL/6 mice. These results suggest a preservation of immune cell homeostasis under the sustained low-dose-rate exposure conditions studied. It contributes to a broader understanding of radiation biology, emphasizing that the effects of LDIR on the immune system can be limited at low-dose-rates in mice.
Project description:Thyroid gland is among the most sensitive organs to ionizing radiation. Whether low-dose radiation-induced papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) differs from sporadic PTC is yet unknown. We used microarrays to identify gene signature of radiation-induced papillary thyroid carcinomas
Project description:Genetic differences in transcript responses to low-dose ionizing radiation identify tissue functions associated with breast cancer susceptibility.
Project description:Recent observations show that the single-cell response of p53 to ionizing radiation (IR) is “digital” in that it is the number of oscillations rather than the amplitude of p53 that shows dependence on the radiation dose. We present a model of this phenomenon. In our model, double-strand break (DSB) sites induced by IR interact with a limiting pool of DNA repair proteins, forming DSB–protein complexes at DNA damage foci. The persisting complexes are sensed by ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a protein kinase that activates p53 once it is phosphorylated by DNA damage. The ATM-sensing module switches on or off the downstream p53 oscillator, consisting of a feedback loop formed by p53 and its negative regulator, Mdm2. In agreement with experiments, our simulations show that by assuming stochasticity in the initial number of DSBs and the DNA repair process, p53 and Mdm2 exhibit a coordinated oscillatory dynamics upon IR stimulation in single cells, with a stochastic number of oscillations whose mean increases with IR dose. The damped oscillations previously observed in cell populations can be explained as the aggregate behavior of single cell
Project description:The immune system illustrates the challenges of assigning risk to low dose radiation (LDR) exposure in a population. While high radiation doses clearly suppress immune function, a number of studies have shown that LDR affects immune cell subpopulations in ways that could be beneficial. In the intact organism, defining the consequences of LDR is further complicated by the impact of genetic background, particularly in systems such as the immune system for which both radiosensitivity and genetic effects are profound. We employed a systems genetics approach to test for heritable differences in LDR responses. Mice from 39 BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains were exposed to 10cGy gamma radiation to determine effects on immune function and oxidative stress 48h after irradiation. LDR significantly enhanced neutrophil phagocytosis in a manner that was independent of genetic background. In contrast, genetic background significantly impacted LDR-induced changes in spleen superoxide dismutase activity. Transcriptome data from spleens of the BXD parental strains highlighted the impact of genetic background on LDR responses and also indicate that genetic variation in radiosensitivity is further unmasked at low radiation doses. Taken together, these data highlight the need to consider genetic variation when assessing LDR outcomes. Adult C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice (10 weeks old) were exposed to low dose (10cGy) or high dose (1Gy) gamma radiation. Mice were sacrificed 24h after radiation or sham exposure & spleens were harvested for transcriptomic analysis.