IDENTIFICATION OF BIOMARKERS OF RADIATION EXPOSURE IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES: A MULTIPARAMETRIC APPROACH

Abstract

BIOMARKERS ARE IMPORTANT IN ASSESSING THE EXPOSURE AND FOR PREDICTING FUTURE ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES. MANY ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS WHICH CAN BE USED FOR HIGH THROUGHPUT BIODOSIMETRY SCREENING. A STUDY INVOLVING MULTIPLE END POINTS FOLLOWING IRRADIATION WAS INITIATED IN OUR LABORATORY USING HUMAN BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES FROM HEALTHY DONORS. CLASSICAL CYTOGENETIC ASSAYS AND GENE EXPRESSION PROFILES IN LYMPHOCYTES WERE ANALYSED AFTER EXPOSURE TO GAMMA RADIATION AND HEAVY ION RADIATION EXPOSURE. DNA DAMAGE STUDIED BY ASSESSING MICRONUCLEI AND GH2AX FOCI FORMATION AND CYTOGENETIC ANALYSIS REVEALED A DOSE-DEPENDENT INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE CHROMOSOME ABERRATIONS SUCH AS DICENTRICS AND TRANSLOCATIONS. WE IDENTIFIED A SET OF SIGNATURE MARKER GENES WHICH COULD BE USED TO COMPLEMENT CURRENT BIOMARKERS FOR BIOLOGICAL DOSIMETRY. IN ADDITION, DATA SHOWED INTER-INDIVIDUAL VARIATION WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR INDIVIDUAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TO RADIATION. THESE BIOMARKERS MAY BE USEFUL IN