1
|
Allegra A, Caserta S, Genovese S, Pioggia G, Gangemi S. Gender Differences in Oxidative Stress in Relation to Cancer Susceptibility and Survival. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1255. [PMID: 37371985 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic, developmental, biochemical, and environmental variables interact intricately to produce sex differences. The significance of sex differences in cancer susceptibility is being clarified by numerous studies. Epidemiological research and cancer registries have revealed over the past few years that there are definite sex variations in cancer incidence, progression, and survival. However, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction also have a significant impact on the response to treatment of neoplastic diseases. Young women may be more protected from cancer than men because most of the proteins implicated in the regulation of redox state and mitochondrial function are under the control of sexual hormones. In this review, we describe how sexual hormones control the activity of antioxidant enzymes and mitochondria, as well as how they affect several neoplastic diseases. The molecular pathways that underlie the gender-related discrepancies in cancer that have been identified may be better understood, which may lead to more effective precision medicine and vital information on treatment options for both males and females with neoplastic illnesses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Allegra
- Division of Hematology, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood 'Gaetano Barresi', University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Santino Caserta
- Division of Hematology, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood 'Gaetano Barresi', University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Sara Genovese
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 98164 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pioggia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 98164 Messina, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Gangemi
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cosar R, Özen A, Tastekin E, Süt N, Cakina S, Demir S, Parlar S, Nurlu D, Kavuzlu Y, Koçak Z. Does Gender Difference Effect Radiation-Induced Lung Toxicity? An Experimental Study by Genetic and Histopathological Predictors. Radiat Res 2021; 197:280-288. [PMID: 34735567 DOI: 10.1667/rade-21-00075.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have reported differences in radiation toxicity between the sexes, but these differences have not been tested with respect to histopathology and genes. This animal study aimed to show an association between histopathological findings of radiation-induced lung toxicity and the genes ATM, SOD2, TGF-β1, XRCC1, XRCC3 and HHR2. In all, 120 animals were randomly divided into 2 control groups (male and female) and experimental groups comprising fifteen rats stratified by sex, radiotherapy (0 Gy vs. 10 Gy), and time to sacrifice (6, 12, and 24 weeks postirradiation). Histopathological evaluations for lung injury, namely, intra-alveolar edema, alveolar neutrophils, intra-alveolar erythrocytes, activated macrophages, intra-alveolar fibrosis, hyaline arteriosclerosis, and collapse were performed under a light microscope using a grid system; the evaluations were semi quantitatively scored. Then, the alveolar wall thickness was measured. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine gene expression differences in ATM, TGF-β1, XRCC1, XRCC3, SOD2 and HHR2L among the groups. Histopathological data showed that radiation-induced acute, subacute, and chronic lung toxicity were worse in male rats. The expression levels of the evaluated genes were significantly higher in females than males in the control group, but this difference was lost over time after radiotherapy. Less toxicity in females may be attributable to the fact that the expression of the evaluated genes was higher in normal lung tissue in females than in males and the changes in gene expression patterns in the postradiotherapy period played a protective role in females. Additional data related to pulmonary function, lung weights, imaging, or outcomes are needed to support this data that is based on histopathology alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rusen Cosar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Alaattin Özen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Ebru Tastekin
- Department of Pathology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Necdet Süt
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Suat Cakina
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Selma Demir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Sule Parlar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Dilek Nurlu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Kavuzlu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Zafer Koçak
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yahyapour R, Salajegheh A, Safari A, Amini P, Rezaeyan A, Amraee A, Najafi M. Radiation-induced Non-targeted Effect and Carcinogenesis; Implications in Clinical Radiotherapy. J Biomed Phys Eng 2018; 8:435-446. [PMID: 30568933 PMCID: PMC6280111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bystander or non-targeted effect is known to be an interesting phenomenon in radiobiology. The genetic consequences of bystander effect on non-irradiated cells have shown that this phenomenon can be considered as one of the most important factors involved in secondary cancer after exposure to ionizing radiation. Every year, millions of people around the world undergo radiotherapy in order to cure different types of cancers. The most crucial aim of radiotherapy is to improve treatment efficiency by reducing early and late effects of exposure to clinical doses of radiation. Secondary cancer induction resulted from exposure to high doses of radiation during treatment can reduce the effectiveness of this modality for cancer treatment. The perception of carcinogenesis risk of bystander effects and factors involved in this phenomenon might help reduce secondary cancer incidence years after radiotherapy. Different modalities such as radiation LET, dose and dose rate, fractionation, types of tissue, gender of patients, etc. may be involved in carcinogenesis risk of bystander effects. Therefore, selecting an appropriate treatment modality may improve cost-effectiveness of radiation therapy as well as the quality of life in survived patients. In this review, we first focus on the carcinogenesis evidence of non-targeted effects in radiotherapy and then review physical and biological factors that may influence the risk of secondary cancer induced by this phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. Yahyapour
- School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - A. Salajegheh
- Department of Radiology, School of Paramedical, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - A. Safari
- Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - P. Amini
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - A. Rezaeyan
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - A. Amraee
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - M. Najafi
- Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Science, Kermanshah, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Emerging Environmental Justice Issues in Nuclear Power and Radioactive Contamination. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13070700. [PMID: 27420080 PMCID: PMC4962241 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13070700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear hazards, linked to both U.S. weapons programs and civilian nuclear power, pose substantial environment justice issues. Nuclear power plant (NPP) reactors produce low-level ionizing radiation, high level nuclear waste, and are subject to catastrophic contamination events. Justice concerns include plant locations and the large potentially exposed populations, as well as issues in siting, nuclear safety, and barriers to public participation. Other justice issues relate to extensive contamination in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and the mining and processing industries that have supported it. To approach the topic, first we discuss distributional justice issues of NPP sites in the U.S. and related procedural injustices in siting, operation, and emergency preparedness. Then we discuss justice concerns involving the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the ways that uranium mining, processing, and weapons development have affected those living downwind, including a substantial American Indian population. Next we examine the problem of high-level nuclear waste and the risk implications of the lack of secure long-term storage. The handling and deposition of toxic nuclear wastes pose new transgenerational justice issues of unprecedented duration, in comparison to any other industry. Finally, we discuss the persistent risks of nuclear technologies and renewable energy alternatives.
Collapse
|
5
|
Epstein SS. Reach: An Unprecedented European Initiative for Regulating Industrial Chemicals. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES 2016; 35:1-38. [PMID: 15759555 DOI: 10.2190/qwvt-32g7-ud0b-x727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In February 2001, the European Commission (EC) released a White Paper, REACH 2001, detailing unique and unprecedented legislative proposals for the regulation of industrial chemicals, based on the Precautionary Principle. The object of these proposals was to reverse the escalating incidence of avoidable cancers, a wide range of other industrial diseases, and environmental contamination. However, REACH was aggressively opposed by the European and U.S. chemical industries, and even more so by the U.S. administration. The EC responded by making major concessions in its October 2003 REACH-based legislative proposals. This report critically analyzes REACH, and its 2003 revised proposals, and recommends that REACH be strengthened, not weakened. Furthermore, the report urges that regulatory policies of the United States and other industrialized nations be drastically reformed to comply with those of REACH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S Epstein
- University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, IL 60612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mueller W, Gilham C. Childhood leukemia and proximity to nuclear power plants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Cancer Policy 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
|
7
|
Fairlie I, Körblein A. Comment on 'Updated investigations of cancer excesses in individuals born or resident in the vicinity of Sellafield and Dounreay': premature all-clear for nuclear power. Br J Cancer 2014; 112:1836-7. [PMID: 25412232 PMCID: PMC4647254 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- I Fairlie
- 115 Riversdale Road, London N5 2SU, UK
| | - A Körblein
- Untere Söldnersgasse 8, 90403 Nürnberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
A few reports of increased numbers of leukaemia cases (clusters) in children living in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (NPP) and other nuclear installations have triggered a heated debate over the possible causes of the disease. In this review the most important cases of childhood leukaemia clusters around NPPs are described and analyzed with special emphasis on the relationship between the environmental exposure to ionizing radiation and the risk of leukaemia. Since, as indicated, a lifetime residency in the proximity of an NPP does not pose any specific health risk to people and the emitted ionizing radiation is too small to cause cancer, a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the childhood leukaemia clusters. The most likely explanation for the clusters is 'population mixing', i.e., the influx of outside workers to rural regions where nuclear installations are being set up and where local people are not immune to pathogens brought along with the incomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marek K Janiak
- Department of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Fairlie I. A hypothesis to explain childhood cancers near nuclear power plants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2014; 133:10-17. [PMID: 24054083 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2013.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Over 60 epidemiological studies world-wide have examined cancer incidences in children near nuclear power plants (NPPs): most of them indicate leukemia increases. These include the 2008 KiKK study commissioned by the German Government which found relative risks (RR) of 1.6 in total cancers and 2.2 in leukemias among infants living within 5 km of all German NPPs. The KiKK study has retriggered the debate as to the cause(s) of these increased cancers. A suggested hypothesis is that the increased cancers arise from radiation exposures to pregnant women near NPPs. However any theory has to account for the >10,000 fold discrepancy between official dose estimates from NPP emissions and observed increased risks. An explanation may be that doses from spikes in NPP radionuclide emissions are significantly larger than those estimated by official models which are diluted through the use of annual averages. In addition, risks to embryos/fetuses are greater than those to adults and haematopoietic tissues appear more radiosensitive in embryos/fetuses than in newborn babies. The product of possible increased doses and possible increased risks per dose may provide an explanation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Fairlie
- 115 Riversdale Road, London N5 2SU, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Soubry A, Hoyo C, Jirtle RL, Murphy SK. A paternal environmental legacy: evidence for epigenetic inheritance through the male germ line. Bioessays 2014; 36:359-71. [PMID: 24431278 PMCID: PMC4047566 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Literature on maternal exposures and the risk of epigenetic changes or diseases in the offspring is growing. Paternal contributions are often not considered. However, some animal and epidemiologic studies on various contaminants, nutrition, and lifestyle-related conditions suggest a paternal influence on the offspring's future health. The phenotypic outcomes may have been attributed to DNA damage or mutations, but increasing evidence shows that the inheritance of environmentally induced functional changes of the genome, and related disorders, are (also) driven by epigenetic components. In this essay we suggest the existence of epigenetic windows of susceptibility to environmental insults during sperm development. Changes in DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs are viable mechanistic candidates for a non-genetic transfer of paternal environmental information, from maturing germ cell to zygote. Inclusion of paternal factors in future research will ultimately improve the understanding of transgenerational epigenetic plasticity and health-related effects in future generations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adelheid Soubry
- Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Collignon A, Duchenet V, Mouchel D, Malet M, Cornet E, Troussard X. Épidémiologie des hémopathies malignes en Basse-Normandie : incidence et caractéristiques cliniques et biologiques chez l’enfant et l’adulte jeune de moins de 25ans (1997–2005). Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 2012; 60:343-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2012.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2010] [Revised: 02/10/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
|
12
|
Kinlen L. Childhood leukaemia, nuclear sites, and population mixing. Br J Cancer 2011; 104:12-8. [PMID: 21063418 PMCID: PMC3039801 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2010] [Revised: 10/12/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The excess of childhood leukaemia (CL) in Seascale, near the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing site in rural NW England, suggested that an epidemic of an underlying infection, to which CL is a rare response, is promoted by marked population mixing (PM) in rural areas, in which the prevalence of susceptibles is higher than average. This hypothesis has been confirmed by 12 studies in non-radiation situations. Of the five established CL excesses near nuclear sites, four are associated with significant PM; in the fifth, the Krummel power station in Germany, the subject has not been thoroughly investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Kinlen
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of German nuclear power plants - some missing links. J Appl Biomed 2010. [DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0010-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
|
14
|
Wakeford R, Darby SC, Murphy MFG. Temporal trends in childhood leukaemia incidence following exposure to radioactive fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2010; 49:213-227. [PMID: 20309707 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-010-0266-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2009] [Accepted: 01/21/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Notably raised rates of childhood leukaemia incidence have been found near some nuclear installations, in particular Sellafield and Dounreay in the United Kingdom, but risk assessments have concluded that the radiation doses estimated to have been received by children or in utero as a result of operations at these installations are much too small to account for the reported increases in incidence. This has led to speculation that the risk of childhood leukaemia arising from internal exposure to radiation following the intake of radioactive material released from nuclear facilities has been substantially underestimated. The radionuclides discharged from many nuclear installations are similar to those released into the global environment by atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, which was at its height in the late-1950s and early-1960s. Measurements of anthropogenic radionuclides in members of the general public resident in the vicinity of Sellafield and Dounreay have found levels that do not differ greatly from those in persons living remote from nuclear installations that are due to ubiquitous exposure to the radioactive debris of nuclear weapons testing. Therefore, if the leukaemia risk to children resulting from deposition within the body of radioactive material discharged from nuclear facilities has been grossly underestimated, then a pronounced excess of childhood leukaemia would have been expected as a consequence of the short period of intense atmospheric weapons testing. We have examined childhood leukaemia incidence in 11 large-scale cancer registries in three continents for which data were available at least as early as 1962. We found no evidence of a wave of excess cases corresponding to the peak of radioactive fallout from atmospheric weapons testing. The absence of a discernible increase in the incidence of childhood leukaemia following the period of maximum exposure to the radioactive debris of this testing weighs heavily against the suggestion that conventional methods are seriously in error when assessing the risk of childhood leukaemia from exposure to man-made radionuclides released from nuclear installations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Wakeford
- Dalton Nuclear Institute, The University of Manchester, Pariser Building, G Floor, Sackville Street, PO Box 88, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Latency is associated with the time lag it takes for the health effects resulting from exposure to ionising radiation to show up. However, the term latency can also be applied to the time it takes for a policy to be implemented. This length of time has been suggested as broadly 40-year process. Given that radioactivity was identified and named in 1896, three paradigms are identified and examined from 1896 to 2016 and the criteria for a 4th paradigm suggested for the period 2017-2056. The review examines the changes that have taken place in scientific understanding and in public trust, a few key developments and the associated establishment of the related organisational infrastructure designed to collate and assess the evidence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jill Sutcliffe
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM), 43 Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9EH, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Fairlie I. Childhood cancer near German nuclear power stations. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2010; 28:1-21. [PMID: 20390965 DOI: 10.1080/10590500903585366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In 2008, the Kinderkrebs in der Umgebung von Kernkraftwerken (KiKK) study in Germany reported a 60% increase in solid cancers and a 120% increase in leukemias among children living within 5 km of all German nuclear power stations. The study has triggered debates as to the cause(s) of these increased cancers. This article reports on the findings of the KiKK study; discusses past and more recent epidemiological studies of leukemias near nuclear installations around the world, and outlines a possible biological mechanism to explain the increased cancers. This suggests that the observed high rates of infant leukemias may be a teratogenic effect from radionuclides incorporated by pregnant women living near nuclear reactors. Doses and risks from environmental emissions to embryos and fetuses may be larger than suspected. Hematopoietic tissues appear to be considerably more radiosensitive in embryos/fetuses than in newborn babies. Recommendations for advice to local residents and for further research are made.
Collapse
|
17
|
Nussbaum RH. Childhood leukemia and cancers near German nuclear reactors: significance, context, and ramifications of recent studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2009; 15:318-23. [PMID: 19650588 DOI: 10.1179/oeh.2009.15.3.318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
A government-sponsored study of childhood cancer in the proximity of German nuclear power plants (German acronym KiKK) found that children < 5 years living < 5 km from plant exhaust stacks had twice the risk for contracting leukemia as those residing > 5 km. The researchers concluded that since "this result was not to be expected under current radiation-epidemiological knowledge" and confounders could not be identified, the observed association of leukemia incidence with residential proximity to nuclear plants "remains unexplained." This unjustified conclusion illustrates the dissonance between evidence and assumptions. There exist serious flaws and gaps in the knowledge on which accepted models for population exposure and radiation risk are based. Studies with results contradictory to those of KiKK lack statistical power to invalidate its findings. The KiKK study's ramifications add to the urgency for a public policy debate regarding the health impact of nuclear power generation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rudi H Nussbaum
- Department of Physics and Environmental Sciences, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Fairlie I. Commentary: childhood cancer near nuclear power stations. Environ Health 2009; 8:43. [PMID: 19775438 PMCID: PMC2757021 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-8-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In 2008, the KiKK study in Germany reported a 1.6-fold increase in solid cancers and a 2.2-fold increase in leukemias among children living within 5 km of all German nuclear power stations. The study has triggered debates as to the cause(s) of these increased cancers. This article reports on the findings of the KiKK study; discusses past and more recent epidemiological studies of leukemias near nuclear installations around the world, and outlines a possible biological mechanism to explain the increased cancers. This suggests that the observed high rates of infant leukemias may be a teratogenic effect from incorporated radionuclides. Doses from environmental emissions from nuclear reactors to embryos and fetuses in pregnant women near nuclear power stations may be larger than suspected. Hematopoietic tissues appear to be considerably more radiosensitive in embryos/fetuses than in newborn babies. Recommendations for advice to local residents and for further research are made.
Collapse
|
19
|
Giusti L. A review of waste management practices and their impact on human health. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2009; 29:2227-39. [PMID: 19401266 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2009.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2009] [Revised: 03/17/2009] [Accepted: 03/25/2009] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
This work reviews (i) the most recent information on waste arisings and waste disposal options in the world, in the European Union (EU), in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEDC) countries, and in some developing countries (notably China) and (ii) the potential direct and indirect impact of waste management activities on health. Though the main focus is primarily on municipal solid waste (MSW), exposure to bioaerosols from composting facilities and to pathogens from sewage treatment plants are considered. The reported effects of radioactive waste are also briefly reviewed. Hundreds of epidemiological studies reported on the incidence of a wide range of possible illnesses on employees of waste facilities and on the resident population. The main conclusion of the overall assessment of the literature is that the evidence of adverse health outcomes for the general population living near landfill sites, incinerators, composting facilities and nuclear installations is usually insufficient and inconclusive. There is convincing evidence of a high risk of gastrointestinal problems associated with pathogens originating at sewage treatment plants. In order to improve the quality and usefulness of epidemiological studies applied to populations residing in areas where waste management facilities are located or planned, preference should be given to prospective cohort studies of sufficient statistical power, with access to direct human exposure measurements, and supported by data on health effect biomarkers and susceptibility biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Giusti
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, UWE Bristol, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
This review considers recent studies regarding the role of environmental factors in the etiology of childhood leukemia and lymphoma. Potential environmental risk factors identified for childhood leukemia include exposure to magnetic fields of more than 0.4 micro Tessla, exposure to pesticides, solvents, benzene and other hydrocarbons, maternal alcohol consumption (but only for certain genotypes), contaminated drinking water, infections, and high birth weight. The finding of space-time clustering and seasonal variation also supports a role for infections. There is little evidence linking childhood leukemia with lifetime exposure to ionizing radiation although fetal exposures to X-rays are associated with increased risk. Breast-feeding, consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables and having allergies all appear to be protective. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is confined to areas of the world where malaria is endemic, with the additional involvement of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as a co-factor. Environmental risk factors suggested for other types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) include exposure to ionizing radiation (both lifetime and antenatal), pesticides, and, in utero exposure to cigarette smoke, benzene and nitrogen dioxide (via the mother). Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is especially associated with higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation, but breast-feeding seems to confer lower risk. This is consistent with an infection or immune-response mediated etiology for HL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Q McNally
- School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Child Health, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Troussard X, Duchenet V, Cornet E, Mouchel D, Malet M, Collignon A. Hematological malignancies: Incidence in Basse-Normandie, France, for 1997–2004. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2009.02.207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
|
22
|
Troussard X, Duchenet V, Cornet E, Mouchel D, Malet M, Collignon A. Épidémiologie des hémopathies malignes en Basse-Normandie. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 2009; 57:151-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2009.02.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2008] [Revised: 01/23/2009] [Accepted: 02/23/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
|
23
|
Koturbash I, Kutanzi K, Hendrickson K, Rodriguez-Juarez R, Kogosov D, Kovalchuk O. Radiation-induced bystander effects in vivo are sex specific. Mutat Res 2008; 642:28-36. [PMID: 18508093 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2008.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2007] [Revised: 03/24/2008] [Accepted: 04/01/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) effects span beyond the area of direct exposure and can be observed in neighboring and distant naïve cells and organs. This phenomenon is termed a 'bystander effect'. IR effects in directly exposed tissue in vivo are epigenetically mediated and distinct in males and females. Yet, IR-induced bystander effects have never been explored in a sex-specificity domain. We used an in vivo mouse model, whereby the bystander effects are studied in spleen of male and female animals subjected to head exposure when the rest of the body is protected by a medical-grade lead shield. We analyzed the induction of DNA damage and alterations in global DNA methylation. Molecular parameters were correlated with cellular proliferation and apoptosis levels. The changes observed in bystander organs are compared to the changes in unexposed animals and animals exposed to predicted and measured scatter doses. We have found the selective induction of DNA damage levels, global DNA methylation, cell proliferation and apoptosis in exposed and bystander spleen tissue of male and female mice. Sex differences were significantly diminished in animals subjected to a surgical removal of gonads. These data constitute the first evidence of sex differences in radiation-induced bystander effects in mouse spleen in vivo. We show the role of sex hormones in spleen bystander responses and discuss implications of the observed changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Koturbash
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
|
25
|
Laurier D, Jacob S, Bernier MO, Leuraud K, Metz C, Samson E, Laloi P. Epidemiological studies of leukaemia in children and young adults around nuclear facilities: a critical review. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2008; 132:182-90. [PMID: 18922823 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncn262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The existence of an increased risk of childhood leukaemia near nuclear installations is a recurrent issue. A review of the related epidemiological literature is presented here. Results for 198 nuclear sites throughout 10 countries were included in the review. In addition to local studies, 25 multi-site studies have been published for eight countries. A large variability was noticed in the quality of the data as well as in the definition of the study population and in the methods of analysis. Many studies present important limits that make the results difficult to interpret. The review confirms that some clusters of childhood leukaemia cases exist locally. However, results based on multi-site studies around nuclear installations do not indicate an increased risk globally. Many studies were launched to investigate possible origins of the observed clusters around specific sites, but up to now, none of the proposed hypotheses have explained them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Laurier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN, DRPH/SRBE, BP17, F-92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Buka I, Koranteng S, Osornio Vargas AR. Trends in childhood cancer incidence: review of environmental linkages. Pediatr Clin North Am 2007; 54:177-203, x. [PMID: 17306690 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2006.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer in children is rare and accounts for about 1% of all malignancies. In the developed world, however, it is the commonest cause of disease-related deaths in childhood, carrying with it a great economic and emotional cost. Cancers are assumed to be multivariate, multifactorial diseases that occur when a complex and prolonged process involving genetic and environmental factors interact in a multistage sequence. This article explores the available evidence for this process, primarily from the environmental linkages perspective but including some evidence of the genetic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irena Buka
- Paediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Misericordia Hospital, 3 West, 16940 - 87 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5R 4H5, Canada.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Pogribny I, Koturbash I, Tryndyak V, Hudson D, Stevenson SML, Sedelnikova O, Bonner W, Kovalchuk O. Fractionated low-dose radiation exposure leads to accumulation of DNA damage and profound alterations in DNA and histone methylation in the murine thymus. Mol Cancer Res 2006; 3:553-61. [PMID: 16254189 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-05-0074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Thymus, an important component of hematopoietic tissue, is a well-documented "target" of radiation carcinogenesis. Both acute and fractionated irradiation result in a high risk of leukemia and thymic lymphoma. However, the exact mechanisms underlying radiation-induced predisposition to leukemia and lymphoma are still unknown, and the contributions of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in particular have yet to be defined. Global DNA hypomethylation is a well-known characteristic of cancer cells. Recent studies have also shown that tumor cells undergo prominent changes in histone methylation, particularly a substantial loss of trimethylation of histone H4-Lys20 and demethylation of genomic DNA. These losses are considered a universal marker of malignant transformation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of low-dose radiation exposure on the accumulation of DNA lesions and alterations of DNA methylation and histone H4-Lys20 trimethylation in the thymus tissue using an in vivo murine model. For the first time, we show that fractionated whole-body application of 0.5 Gy X-ray leads to decrease in histone H4-Lys20 trimethylation in the thymus. The loss of histone H4-Lys20 trimethylation was accompanied by a significant decrease in global DNA methylation as well as the accumulation of DNA damage as monitored by persistence of histone gammaH2AX foci in the thymus tissue of mice exposed to fractionated irradiation. Altered DNA methylation was associated with reduced expression of maintenance (DNMT1) and, to a lesser extent, de novo DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a in exposed animals. Expression of another de novo DNA methyltransferase DNMT3b was decreased only in males. Irradiation also resulted in approximately 20% reduction in the levels of methyl-binding proteins MeCP2 and MBD2. Our results show the involvement of epigenetic alterations in radiation-induced responses in vivo. These changes may play a role in genome destabilization that ultimately leads to cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Pogribny
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Koturbash I, Pogribny I, Kovalchuk O. Stable loss of global DNA methylation in the radiation-target tissue—A possible mechanism contributing to radiation carcinogenesis? Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005; 337:526-33. [PMID: 16202973 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.09.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2005] [Accepted: 09/07/2005] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Radiation-induced lymphomagenesis and leukemogenesis are complex processes involving both genetic and epigenetic changes. Although genetic alterations during radiation-induced lymphoma- and leukemogenesis are fairly well studied, the role of epigenetic changes has been largely overlooked. Rodent models are valuable tools for identifying molecular mechanisms of lymphoma and leukemogenesis. A widely used mouse model of radiation-induced thymic lymphoma is characterized by a lengthy "pre-lymphoma" period. Delineating molecular changes occurring during the pre-lymphoma period is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of radiation-induced leukemia/lymphoma development. In the present study, we investigated the role of radiation-induced DNA methylation changes in the radiation carcinogenesis target organ--thymus, and non-target organ--muscle. This study is the first report on the radiation-induced epigenetic changes in radiation-target murine thymus during the pre-lymphoma period. We have demonstrated that acute and fractionated whole-body irradiation significantly altered DNA methylation pattern in murine thymus leading to a massive loss of global DNA methylation. We have also observed that irradiation led to increased levels of DNA strand breaks 6 h following the initial exposure. The majority of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks were repaired 1 month after exposure. DNA methylation changes, though, were persistent and significant radiation-induced DNA hypomethylation was observed in thymus 1 month after exposure. In sharp contrast to thymus, no significant persistent changes were noted in the non-target muscle tissue. The presence of stable DNA hypomethylation in the radiation-target tissue, even though DNA damage resulting from initial genotoxic radiation insult was repaired, suggests of the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in the development of radiation-related pathologies. The possible role of radiation-induced DNA hypomethylation in radiation-induced genome instability and aberrant gene expression in molecular etiology of thymic lymphomas is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Koturbash
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Alta., Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
White-Koning ML, Hémon D, Laurier D, Tirmarche M, Jougla E, Goubin A, Clavel J. Incidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of nuclear sites in France, 1990-1998. Br J Cancer 2004; 91:916-22. [PMID: 15280917 PMCID: PMC2409865 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Overall, 670 cases (O) of childhood leukaemia were diagnosed within 20 km of the 29 French nuclear installations between 1990 and 1998 compared to an expected number (E) of 729.09 cases (O/E=0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI)=[0.85–0.99]). Each of the four areas defined around the sites showed non significant deficits of cases (0–5 km: O=65, O/E=0.87, CI=[0.67–1.10]; 5–10 km: O=165, O/E=0.95, CI=[0.81–1.10]; 10–15 km: O=220, O/E=0.88, CI=[0.77–1.00]; 15–20 km: O=220, O/E=0.96, CI=[0.84–1.10]). There was no evidence of a trend in standardised incidence ratio with distance from the sites for all children or for any of the three age groups studied. Similar results were obtained when the start-up year of the electricity-generating nuclear sites and their electric nuclear power were taken into account. No evidence was found of a generally increased risk of childhood leukaemia around the 29 French nuclear sites under study during 1990–1998.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M L White-Koning
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale INSERM - U170-IFR69, 16 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807 Villejuif Cedex, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
Ionizing radiation has been the subject of intense epidemiological investigation. Studies have demonstrated that exposure to moderate-to-high levels can cause most forms of cancer, leukaemia and cancers of the breast, lung and thyroid being particularly sensitive to induction by radiation, especially at young ages at exposure. Predominant among these studies is the Life Span Study of the cohort of survivors of the atomic bombings of Japan in 1945, but substantial evidence is derived from groups exposed for medical reasons, occupationally or environmentally. Notable among these other groups are underground hard rock miners who inhaled radioactive radon gas and its decay products, large numbers of patients irradiated therapeutically and workers who received high doses in the nuclear weapons programme of the former USSR. The degree of carcinogenic risk arising from low levels of exposure is more contentious, but the available evidence points to an increased risk that is approximately proportional to the dose received. Epidemiological investigations of nonionizing radiation have established ultraviolet radiation as a cause of skin cancer. However, the evidence for a carcinogenic effect of other forms of nonionizing radiation, such as those associated with mobile telephones or electricity transmission lines, is not convincing, although the possibility of a link between childhood leukaemia and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields cannot be dismissed entirely.
Collapse
|
31
|
|
32
|
Boutou O, Guizard AV, Slama R, Pottier D, Spira A. Population mixing and leukaemia in young people around the La Hague nuclear waste reprocessing plant. Br J Cancer 2002; 87:740-5. [PMID: 12232757 PMCID: PMC2364264 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6600529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2002] [Revised: 07/01/2002] [Accepted: 07/02/2002] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to investigate for an association between population mixing and the occurrence of leukaemia in young people (less than 25 years), a geographical study was conducted, for the years 1979 to 1998, in Nord Cotentin (France). This area experienced between the years 1978 and 1992 a major influx of workers for the construction of a nuclear power station and a new nuclear waste reprocessing unit. A population mixing index was defined on the basis of the number of workers born outside the French department of 'La Manche' and living in each 'commune', the basic geographical unit under study. The analyses were done with indirect standardisation and Poisson regression model allowing or not for extra-Poisson variation. Urban 'communes' were considered as the reference population. The Incidence Rate Ratio was 2.7 in rural 'communes' belonging to the highest tertile of population mixing (95% Bayesian credible interval, 95%BCI=1.2-5.9). A positive trend was observed among rural strata with increasing population mixing index (IRR for trend=1.4, 95%BCI=1.1-1.8). The risk became stronger for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in children 1-6 years old in the highest tertile of population mixing (IRR=5.5, 95%BCI=1.4-23.3). These findings provide further support for a possible infective basis of childhood leukaemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Boutou
- Ecole Nationale de la Santé Publique, département Egeries, avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, CS 74312, 35043 Rennes cedex, France.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|