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Amrenova A, Baudin C, Ostroumova E, Stephens J, Anderson R, Laurier D. Intergenerational effects of ionizing radiation: review of recent studies from human data (2018-2021). Int J Radiat Biol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38319708 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2024.2309917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper was to conduct a review of the studies published between 2018 and 2022 to investigate radiation-related effects in the offspring of human individuals exposed to ionizing radiation. METHODS The search identified 807 publications, from which 9 studies were selected for detailed analysis to examine for effects in children whose parents were exposed to various types and doses of radiation. RESULTS The review does not yield substantial evidence supporting intergenerational effects of radiation exposure in humans. However, caution is required when interpreting the results due to limitations in the majority of the published articles. CONCLUSION This review, covering the period 2018-2022, serves as an extension of the previous systematic review conducted by Stephens et al. (2024), which encompassed the years 1988-2018. Together, these two papers offer a comprehensive overview of the available evidence regarding the intergenerational effects of parental pre-conceptional exposure to ionizing radiation. Overall, the findings do not provide strong evidence supporting a significant association between adverse (or other) outcomes in unexposed children and parental preconception radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Amrenova
- Health and Environment Division, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - C Baudin
- Health and Environment Division, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - E Ostroumova
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - J Stephens
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - R Anderson
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - D Laurier
- Health and Environment Division, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Fontenay aux Roses, France
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Degenhardt Ä, Sreetharan S, Amrenova A, Adam-Guillermin C, Dekkers F, Dumit S, Frelon S, Horemans N, Laurier D, Liutsko L, Salomaa S, Schneider T, Hande MP, Wakeford R, Applegate KE. The ICRP, MELODI, and ALLIANCE workshop on effects of ionizing radiation exposure in offspring and next generations: a summary of discussions. Int J Radiat Biol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38284800 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2024.2306335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Task Group 121 - Effects of ionizing radiation exposure in offspring and next generations - is a task group under the Committee 1 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), approved by the Main Commission on 18th November 2021. The main goals of Task Group 121 are to (1) review and update the scientific literature of relevance to radiation-related effects in the offspring of parent(s) exposed to ionizing radiation in both human and non-human biota; (2) to assess preconceptional and intrauterine effects of radiation exposure and related morbidity and mortality; and, (3) to provide advice about the level of evidence and how to consider these preconceptional and postconceptional effects in the system of radiological protection for humans and non-human biota. METHODS The Task Group is reviewing relevant literature since Publication 90 'Biological effects after prenatal irradiation (embryo and fetus)' (2003) and will include radiation-related effects on future generations in humans, animals, and plants. This review will be conducted to account for the health effects on offspring and subsequent generations in the current system of radiological protection. Radiation detriment calculation will also be reviewed. Finally, preliminary recommendations will be made to update the integration of health effects in offspring and next generations in the system of radiological protection. RESULTS A Workshop, jointly organized by ICRP Task Group 121 and European Radiation Protection Research Platforms MELODI and ALLIANCE was held in Budapest, Hungary, from 31st May to 2nd June 2022. Participants discussed four important topics: (1) hereditary and epigenetic effects due to exposure of the germ cell line (preconceptional exposure), (2) effects arising from exposure of the embryo and fetus (intrauterine exposure), (3) transgenerational effects on biota, and (4) its potential impact on the system of radiological protection. CONCLUSIONS Based on the discussions and presentations during the breakout sessions, newer publications, and gaps on the current scientific literature were identified. For instance, there are some ongoing systematic reviews and radiation epidemiology reviews of intrauterine effects. There are newer methods of Monte Carlo simulation for fetal dosimetry, and advances in radiation genetics, epigenetics, and radiobiology studies. While the current impact of hereditary effects on the global detriment was reported as small, the questions surrounding the effects of radiation exposure on offspring and the next generation are crucial, recurring, and with a major focus on exposed populations. This article summarizes the workshop discussions, presentations, and conclusions of each topic and introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Radiation Biology resulting from the discussions of the meeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ämilie Degenhardt
- Division of Medical and Occupational Radiation Protection, German Federal Office for Radiation Protections (BfS), Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Aidana Amrenova
- French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), France
| | | | - Fieke Dekkers
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Dumit
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Radiation Protection Division, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Sandrine Frelon
- French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), France
| | - Nele Horemans
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Dominique Laurier
- French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), France
| | | | - Sisko Salomaa
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Finland
| | - Thierry Schneider
- Nuclear Protection Evaluation Centre (CEPN), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Manoor P Hande
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Richard Wakeford
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Manchester, UK
| | - Kimberly E Applegate
- Department of Radiology (retired), University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
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Lawrence KJ, Scholze M, Seixo J, Daley F, Al-Haddad E, Craenen K, Gillham C, Rake C, Peto J, Anderson R. M-FISH evaluation of chromosome aberrations to examine for historical exposure to ionising radiation due to participation at British nuclear test sites. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2024; 44:011501. [PMID: 38193305 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/ad1743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Veterans of the British nuclear testing programme represent a population of ex-military personnel who had the potential to be exposed to ionising radiation through their participation at nuclear testing sites in the 1950s and 1960s. In the intervening years, members of this population have raised concerns about the status of their health and that of their descendants, as a consequence. Radiation dose estimates based on film badge measurements of external dose recorded at the time of the tests suggest any exposure to be limited for the majority of personnel, however, only ∼20% of personnel were monitored and no measurement for internalised exposure are on record. Here, to in-part address families concerns, we assay for chromosomal evidence of historical radiation exposure in a group of aged nuclear test (NT) veterans, using multiplexin situhybridisation (M-FISH), for comparison with a matched group of veterans who were not present at NT sites. In total, we analysed 9379 and 7698 metaphase cells using M-FISH (24-colour karyotyping) from 48 NT and 38 control veteran samples, representing veteran servicemen from the army, Royal Airforce and Royal Navy. We observed stable and unstable simple- and complex-type chromosome aberrations in both NT and control veterans' samples, however find no significant difference in yield of any chromosome aberration type between the two cohorts. We do observe higher average frequencies of complex chromosome aberrations in a very small subset of veterans previously identified as having a higher potential for radiation exposure, which may be indicative of internalised contamination to long-lived radionuclides from radiation fallout. By utilising recently published whole genome sequence analysis data of a sub-set of the same family groups, we examined for but found no relationship between paternal chromosome aberration burden, germline mutation frequency and self-reported concerns of adverse health in family members, suggesting that the previously reported health issues by participants in this study are unlikely to be associated with historical radiation exposure. We did observe a small number of families, representing both control and NT cohorts, showing a relationship between paternal chromosome aberrations and germline mutation sub-types which should be explored in future studies. In conclusion, we find no cytogenetic evidence of historical radiation exposure in the cohort of nuclear veterans sampled here, offering reassurance that attendance at NTs sites by the veterans sampled here, was not associated with significant levels of exposure to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Josephine Lawrence
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Scholze
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Seixo
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Daley
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Al-Haddad
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Kai Craenen
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Clare Gillham
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Rake
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Peto
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Rhona Anderson
- Centre for Health Effects of Radiological and Chemical Agents, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
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Wood KA, Goriely A. The impact of paternal age on new mutations and disease in the next generation. Fertil Steril 2022; 118:1001-1012. [PMID: 36351856 PMCID: PMC10909733 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Advanced paternal age is associated with an increased risk of fathering children with genetic disorders and other adverse reproductive consequences. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unexplored. In this review, we focus on the impact of paternal age on de novo mutations that are an important contributor to genetic disease and can be studied both indirectly through large-scale sequencing studies and directly in the tissue in which they predominantly arise-the aging testis. We discuss the recent data that have helped establish the origins and frequency of de novo mutations, and highlight experimental evidence about the close link between new mutations, parental age, and genetic disease. We then focus on a small group of rare genetic conditions, the so-called "paternal age effect" disorders that show a strong association between paternal age and disease prevalence, and discuss the underlying mechanism ("selfish selection") and implications of this process in more detail. More broadly, understanding the causes and consequences of paternal age on genetic risk has important implications both for individual couples and for public health advice given that the average age of fatherhood is steadily increasing in many developed nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Wood
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Goriely
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Kendall GM. Congenital abnormalities in the offspring of nuclear test veterans. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2022; 42:034502. [PMID: 36044831 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/ac8e0f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerry M Kendall
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom
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