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Madas BG, Boei J, Fenske N, Hofmann W, Mezquita L. Effects of spatial variation in dose delivery: what can we learn from radon-related lung cancer studies? RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2022; 61:561-577. [PMID: 36208308 PMCID: PMC9630403 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-022-00998-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to radon progeny results in heterogeneous dose distributions in many different spatial scales. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on the state of the art in epidemiology, clinical observations, cell biology, dosimetry, and modelling related to radon exposure and its association with lung cancer, along with priorities for future research. Particular attention is paid on the effects of spatial variation in dose delivery within the organs, a factor not considered in radiation protection. It is concluded that a multidisciplinary approach is required to improve risk assessment and mechanistic understanding of carcinogenesis related to radon exposure. To achieve these goals, important steps would be to clarify whether radon can cause other diseases than lung cancer, and to investigate radon-related health risks in children or persons at young ages. Also, a better understanding of the combined effects of radon and smoking is needed, which can be achieved by integrating epidemiological, clinical, pathological, and molecular oncology data to obtain a radon-associated signature. While in vitro models derived from primary human bronchial epithelial cells can help to identify new and corroborate existing biomarkers, they also allow to study the effects of heterogeneous dose distributions including the effects of locally high doses. These novel approaches can provide valuable input and validation data for mathematical models for risk assessment. These models can be applied to quantitatively translate the knowledge obtained from radon exposure to other exposures resulting in heterogeneous dose distributions within an organ to support radiation protection in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs G Madas
- Environmental Physics Department, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Jan Boei
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nora Fenske
- Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Munich (Neuherberg), Germany
| | - Werner Hofmann
- Biological Physics, Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Laura Mezquita
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Translational Genomic and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
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Kwan WS, Nikezic D, Roy VAL, Yu KN. Multiple Stressor Effects of Radon and Phthalates in Children: Background Information and Future Research. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E2898. [PMID: 32331399 PMCID: PMC7215282 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The present paper reviews available background information for studying multiple stressor effects of radon (222Rn) and phthalates in children and provides insights on future directions. In realistic situations, living organisms are collectively subjected to many environmental stressors, with the resultant effects being referred to as multiple stressor effects. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can lead to lung cancers. On the other hand, phthalates are semi-volatile organic compounds widely applied as plasticizers to provide flexibility to plastic in consumer products. Links of phthalates to various health effects have been reported, including allergy and asthma. In the present review, the focus on indoor contaminants was due to their higher concentrations and to the higher indoor occupancy factor, while the focus on the pediatric population was due to their inherent sensitivity and their spending more time close to the floor. Two main future directions in studying multiple stressor effects of radon and phthalates in children were proposed. The first one was on computational modeling and micro-dosimetric studies, and the second one was on biological studies. In particular, dose-response relationship and effect-specific models for combined exposures to radon and phthalates would be necessary. The ideas and methodology behind such proposed research work are also applicable to studies on multiple stressor effects of collective exposures to other significant airborne contaminants, and to population groups other than children.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. S. Kwan
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China;
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - D. Nikezic
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, State University of Novi Pazar, Vuka Karadžića 9, RS-36300 Novi Pazar, Serbia;
- Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovica 12, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | | | - K. N. Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China;
- State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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Hofmann W, Li WB, Friedland W, Miller BW, Madas B, Bardiès M, Balásházy I. Internal microdosimetry of alpha-emitting radionuclides. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2020; 59:29-62. [PMID: 31863162 PMCID: PMC7012986 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-019-00826-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
At the tissue level, energy deposition in cells is determined by the microdistribution of alpha-emitting radionuclides in relation to sensitive target cells. Furthermore, the highly localized energy deposition of alpha particle tracks and the limited range of alpha particles in tissue produce a highly inhomogeneous energy deposition in traversed cell nuclei. Thus, energy deposition in cell nuclei in a given tissue is characterized by the probability of alpha particle hits and, in the case of a hit, by the energy deposited there. In classical microdosimetry, the randomness of energy deposition in cellular sites is described by a stochastic quantity, the specific energy, which approximates the macroscopic dose for a sufficiently large number of energy deposition events. Typical examples of the alpha-emitting radionuclides in internal microdosimetry are radon progeny and plutonium in the lungs, plutonium and americium in bones, and radium in targeted radionuclide therapy. Several microdosimetric approaches have been proposed to relate specific energy distributions to radiobiological effects, such as hit-related concepts, LET and track length-based models, effect-specific interpretations of specific energy distributions, such as the dual radiation action theory or the hit-size effectiveness function, and finally track structure models. Since microdosimetry characterizes only the initial step of energy deposition, microdosimetric concepts are most successful in exposure situations where biological effects are dominated by energy deposition, but not by subsequently operating biological mechanisms. Indeed, the simulation of the combined action of physical and biological factors may eventually require the application of track structure models at the nanometer scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Hofmann
- Biological Physics, Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Wei Bo Li
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Werner Friedland
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Brian W Miller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Balázs Madas
- Environmental Physics Department, MTA Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Manuel Bardiès
- Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse, UMR 1037, INSERM Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Imre Balásházy
- Environmental Physics Department, MTA Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
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Lee US, Kim EH. Combined effect of alpha particles and cigarette smoke on human lung epithelial cells in vitro. Int J Radiat Biol 2019; 95:1276-1286. [PMID: 31145654 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2019.1625491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The combined toxicity of alpha particles and cigarette smoke to the critical cells in the lungs was investigated to assess the risk of smoking workers who handle naturally occurring radioactive materials. Materials and methods: The toxicity of alpha particles and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was evaluated in terms of DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and clonogenic cell death of human lung epithelial cells in vitro. The cells were exposed to alpha particles at doses of up to 0.25 Gy for gamma-H2AX assay and from 1.25 Gy to 5 Gy for clonogenic assay. CSE exposure of the cells was facilitated in the culture medium at CSE concentrations ranging from 1% to 12%. Additional experiments were performed using mouse endothelial cells for comparison. Results: The increases in the levels of DNA DSBs were linearly dependent on radiation dose and CSE concentration. The CSE-treated cells also responded with a linearly increasing number of DNA DSBs to the radiation dose. Both human lung epithelial cells and mouse endothelial cells showed exponential decreases in clonogenic surviving fraction as the dose from alpha particle exposure increased. Both cells responded with the clonogenic surviving fractions decreasing in a linear proportion to the CSE concentration in the culture medium. Conclusion: In our experimental in vitro setup, CSE treatment and alpha particle exposure affected the cells in an additive manner either for DNA DSB production or for clonogenic cell death induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ui-Seob Lee
- Radiation Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Kim
- Radiation Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
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Abuelhia E. Evaluation of annual effective dose from indoor radon concentration in Eastern Province, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Rühm W, Fantuzzi E, Harrison R, Schuhmacher H, Vanhavere F, Alves J, Bottollier Depois JF, Fattibene P, Knežević Ž, Lopez MA, Mayer S, Miljanić S, Neumaier S, Olko P, Stadtmann H, Tanner R, Woda C. EURADOS strategic research agenda: vision for dosimetry of ionising radiation. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2016; 168:223-34. [PMID: 25752758 PMCID: PMC4884873 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncv018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Since autumn 2012, the European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS) has been developing its Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), which is intended to contribute to the identification of future research needs in radiation dosimetry in Europe. The present article summarises-based on input from EURADOS Working Groups (WGs) and Voting Members-five visions in dosimetry and defines key issues in dosimetry research that are considered important for the next decades. The five visions include scientific developments required towards (a) updated fundamental dose concepts and quantities, (b) improved radiation risk estimates deduced from epidemiological cohorts, (c) efficient dose assessment for radiological emergencies, (d) integrated personalised dosimetry in medical applications and (e) improved radiation protection of workers and the public. The SRA of EURADOS will be used as a guideline for future activities of the EURADOS WGs. A detailed version of the SRA can be downloaded as a EURADOS report from the EURADOS website (www.eurados.org).
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Affiliation(s)
- W Rühm
- Helmholtz Center Munich, Institute of Radiation Protection, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - E Fantuzzi
- Radiation Protection Institute, ENEA, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - H Schuhmacher
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - F Vanhavere
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK-CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - J Alves
- Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), CTN, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J F Bottollier Depois
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France
| | - P Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Ž Knežević
- Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI), Zagreb, Croatia
| | - M A Lopez
- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain
| | - S Mayer
- Paul Scherer Institut (PSI), Villigen, Switzerland
| | - S Miljanić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI), Zagreb, Croatia
| | - S Neumaier
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - P Olko
- Instytut Fizyki Jądrowej (IFJ), Krakow, Poland
| | - H Stadtmann
- Seibersdorf Labor GmbH, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - R Tanner
- Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, UK
| | - C Woda
- Helmholtz Center Munich, Institute of Radiation Protection, Neuherberg, Germany
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Hofmann W, Winkler-Heil R. From cellular doses to average lung dose. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2015; 167:49-54. [PMID: 25920789 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncv219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Sensitive basal and secretory cells receive a wide range of doses in human bronchial and bronchiolar airways. Variations of cellular doses arise from the location of target cells in the bronchial epithelium of a given airway and the asymmetry and variability of airway dimensions of the lung among airways in a given airway generation and among bronchial and bronchiolar airway generations. To derive a single value for the average lung dose which can be related to epidemiologically observed lung cancer risk, appropriate weighting scenarios have to be applied. Potential biological weighting parameters are the relative frequency of target cells, the number of progenitor cells, the contribution of dose enhancement at airway bifurcations, the promotional effect of cigarette smoking and, finally, the application of appropriate regional apportionment factors. Depending on the choice of weighting parameters, detriment-weighted average lung doses can vary by a factor of up to 4 for given radon progeny exposure conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Hofmann
- Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - R Winkler-Heil
- Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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Truta LA, Hofmann W, Cosma C. Lung cancer risk due to residential radon exposures: estimation and prevention. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2014; 160:112-6. [PMID: 24751985 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncu062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies proved that cumulative exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, the world's most common cancer. The objectives of the present study are (i) to analyse lung cancer risk for chronic, low radon exposures based on the transformation frequency-tissue response (TF-TR) model formulated in terms of alpha particle hits in cell nuclei; (ii) to assess the percentage of attributable lung cancers in six areas of Transylvania where the radon concentration was measured and (iii) to point out the most efficient remediation measures tested on a pilot house in Stei, Romania. Simulations performed with the TF-TR model exhibit a linear dose-effect relationship for chronic, residential radon exposures. The fraction of lung cancer cases attributed to radon ranged from 9 to 28% for the investigated areas. Model predictions may represent a useful tool to complement epidemiological studies on lung cancer risk and to establish reasonable radiation protection regulations for human safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Truta
- Environmental Radioactivity and Nuclear Dating Center, Babes-Bolyai University, Fantanele Str. 30, Cluj-Napoca 400294, Romania
| | - W Hofmann
- Division of Physics and Biophysics, Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - C Cosma
- Environmental Radioactivity and Nuclear Dating Center, Babes-Bolyai University, Fantanele Str. 30, Cluj-Napoca 400294, Romania
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9
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Probability of cell transformation effect per mSv induced by α-particle radiation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-013-2620-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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10
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Against Lung Cancer Cells: To Be, or Not to Be, That Is the Problem. LUNG CANCER INTERNATIONAL 2012; 2012:659365. [PMID: 26316936 PMCID: PMC4437407 DOI: 10.1155/2012/659365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 01/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Tobacco smoke and radioactive radon gas impose a high risk for lung cancer. The radon-derived ionizing radiation and some components of cigarette smoke induce oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Respiratory lung cells are subject to the ROS that causes DNA breaks, which subsequently bring about DNA mutagenesis and are intimately linked with carcinogenesis. The damaged cells by oxidative stress are often destroyed through the active apoptotic pathway. However, the ROS also perform critical signaling functions in stress responses, cell survival, and cell proliferation. Some molecules enhance radiation-induced tumor cell killing via the reduction in DNA repair levels. Hence the DNA repair levels may be a novel therapeutic modality in overcoming drug resistance in lung cancer. Either survival or apoptosis, which is determined by the balance between DNA damage and DNA repair levels, may lender the major problems in cancer therapy. The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at risk factor and at therapy modulation factor in lung cancer relevant to the ROS.
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