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Jernfors T, Lavrinienko A, Vareniuk I, Landberg R, Fristedt R, Tkachenko O, Taskinen S, Tukalenko E, Mappes T, Watts PC. Association between gut health and gut microbiota in a polluted environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169804. [PMID: 38184263 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169804] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Animals host complex bacterial communities in their gastrointestinal tracts, with which they share a mutualistic interaction. The numerous effects these interactions grant to the host include regulation of the immune system, defense against pathogen invasion, digestion of otherwise undigestible foodstuffs, and impacts on host behaviour. Exposure to stressors, such as environmental pollution, parasites, and/or predators, can alter the composition of the gut microbiome, potentially affecting host-microbiome interactions that can be manifest in the host as, for example, metabolic dysfunction or inflammation. However, whether a change in gut microbiota in wild animals associates with a change in host condition is seldom examined. Thus, we quantified whether wild bank voles inhabiting a polluted environment, areas where there are environmental radionuclides, exhibited a change in gut microbiota (using 16S amplicon sequencing) and concomitant change in host health using a combined approach of transcriptomics, histological staining analyses of colon tissue, and quantification of short-chain fatty acids in faeces and blood. Concomitant with a change in gut microbiota in animals inhabiting contaminated areas, we found evidence of poor gut health in the host, such as hypotrophy of goblet cells and likely weakened mucus layer and related changes in Clca1 and Agr2 gene expression, but no visible inflammation in colon tissue. Through this case study we show that inhabiting a polluted environment can have wide reaching effects on the gut health of affected animals, and that gut health and other host health parameters should be examined together with gut microbiota in ecotoxicological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni Jernfors
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Finland.
| | - Anton Lavrinienko
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Finland; Laboratory of Food Systems Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Igor Vareniuk
- Department of Cytology, Histology and Reproductive Medicine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 01033, Ukraine
| | - Rikard Landberg
- Division of Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Rikard Fristedt
- Division of Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olena Tkachenko
- Department of Cytology, Histology and Reproductive Medicine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 01033, Ukraine
| | - Sara Taskinen
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Finland
| | - Eugene Tukalenko
- Department of Radiobiology and Radioecology, Institute for Nuclear Research of NAS of Ukraine, 020000, Ukraine
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Finland
| | - Phillip C Watts
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Finland
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Car C, Gilles A, Goujon E, Muller MLD, Camoin L, Frelon S, Burraco P, Granjeaud S, Baudelet E, Audebert S, Orizaola G, Armengaud J, Tenenhaus A, Garali I, Bonzom JM, Armant O. Population transcriptogenomics highlights impaired metabolism and small population sizes in tree frogs living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. BMC Biol 2023; 21:164. [PMID: 37525144 PMCID: PMC10391870 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01659-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual functional modifications shape the ability of wildlife populations to cope with anthropogenic environmental changes. But instead of adaptive response, human-altered environments can generate a succession of deleterious functional changes leading to the extinction of the population. To study how persistent anthropogenic changes impacted local species' population status, we characterised population structure, genetic diversity and individual response of gene expression in the tree frog Hyla orientalis along a gradient of radioactive contamination around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. RESULTS We detected lower effective population size in populations most exposed to ionizing radiation in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone that is not compensated by migrations from surrounding areas. We also highlighted a decreased body condition of frogs living in the most contaminated area, a distinctive transcriptomics signature and stop-gained mutations in genes involved in energy metabolism. While the association with dose will remain correlational until further experiments, a body of evidence suggests the direct or indirect involvement of radiation exposure in these changes. CONCLUSIONS Despite ongoing migration and lower total dose rates absorbed than at the time of the accident, our results demonstrate that Hyla orientalis specimens living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone are still undergoing deleterious changes, emphasizing the long-term impacts of the nuclear disaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Car
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
| | - André Gilles
- UMR 1467 RECOVER, Aix-Marseille Université, INRAE, Centre Saint-Charles, Marseille, France.
| | - Elen Goujon
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
- Laboratoire Des Signaux Et Systèmes, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CentraleSupélec, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Laure Delignette Muller
- Laboratoire de Biométrie Et Biologie Evolutive, UMR 5558, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, VetAgro Sup, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Luc Camoin
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille Proteomics, Marseille, France
| | - Sandrine Frelon
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
| | - Pablo Burraco
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Centre, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Samuel Granjeaud
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille Proteomics, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Baudelet
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille Proteomics, Marseille, France
| | - Stéphane Audebert
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille Proteomics, Marseille, France
| | - Germán Orizaola
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Centre, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
- IMIB-Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Oviedo, 33600, Mieres-Asturias, Spain
- Zoology Unit, Department of Biology of Organisms and Systems, University of Oviedo, 33071, Oviedo-Asturias, Spain
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Département Médicaments Et Technologies Pour La Santé (DMTS), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, Bagnols-Sur-Cèze, France
| | - Arthur Tenenhaus
- Laboratoire Des Signaux Et Systèmes, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CentraleSupélec, 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Imène Garali
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
| | - Jean-Marc Bonzom
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France
| | - Olivier Armant
- Institut de Radioprotection Et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, France.
- PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LRTox, Fontenay Aux Roses, France.
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3
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Burraco P, Orizaola G. Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs. Evol Appl 2022; 15:1469-1479. [PMID: 36187188 PMCID: PMC9488684 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human actions are altering ecosystems worldwide. Among human‐released pollutants, ionizing radiation arises as a rare but potentially devastating threat to natural systems. The Chornobyl accident (1986) represents the largest release of radioactive material to the environment. Our aim was to examine how exposure to radiation from the Chornobyl accident influences dorsal skin coloration of Eastern tree frog (Hyla orientalis) males sampled across a wide gradient of radioactive contamination in northern Ukraine. We assessed the relationship between skin frog coloration (which can act as a protective mechanism against ionizing radiation), radiation conditions and oxidative stress levels. Skin coloration was darker in localities closest to areas with high radiation levels at the time of the accident, whereas current radiation levels seemed not to influence skin coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs. Tree frogs living within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone had a remarkably darker dorsal skin coloration than frogs from outside the Zone. The maintenance of dark skin coloration was not linked to physiological costs in terms of frog body condition or oxidative status, and we did not detect short‐term changes in frog coloration. Dark coloration is known to protect against different sources of radiation by neutralizing free radicals and reducing DNA damage, and, particularly melanin pigmentation has been proposed as a buffering mechanism against ionizing radiation. Our results suggest that exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation, likely at the time of the accident, may have been selected for darker coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of the patterns found here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Burraco
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), 41092 Seville Spain
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Germán Orizaola
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- IMIB‐Biodiversity Research Institute (Univ. Oviedo‐CSIC‐Princip. Asturias) University of Oviedo Mieres ‐Asturias Spain
- Zoology Unit, Department of Biology of Organisms and Systems University of Oviedo Oviedo ‐Asturias Spain
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4
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Pohjoismäki JLO, Goffart S. Adaptive and Pathological Outcomes of Radiation Stress-Induced Redox Signaling. Antioxid Redox Signal 2022; 37:336-348. [PMID: 35044250 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2021.0257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Ionizing radiation can damage cells either directly or through oxidative damage caused by ionization. Although radiation exposure from natural sources is very limited, ionizing radiation in nuclear disaster zones and long spaceflights causes inconspicuous, yet measurable physiological effects in men and animals, whose significance remains poorly known. Understanding the physiological impacts of ionizing radiation has a wide importance due to the increased use of medical imaging and radiotherapy. Recent Advances: Radiation exposure has been traditionally investigated from the perspective of DNA damage and its consequences. However, recent studies from Chernobyl as well as spaceflights have provided interesting insights into oxidative stress-induced metabolic alterations and disturbances in the circadian regulation. Critical Issues: In this review, we discuss the physiological consequences of radiation exposure in the light of oxidative stress signaling. Radiation exposure likely triggers many converging or interconnecting signaling pathways, some of which mimic mitochondrial dysfunction and might explain the observed metabolic changes. Future Directions: Better understanding of the different radiation-induced signaling pathways might help to devise strategies for mitigation of the long-term effects of radiation exposure. The utility of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) as a radiation exposure biomarker and the use of radiation hormesis as a method to protect astronauts on a prolonged spaceflight, such as a mission to Mars, should be investigated. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 336-348.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaakko L O Pohjoismäki
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Steffi Goffart
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
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5
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Geras’kin SA, Fesenko SV, Volkova PY, Isamov NN. What Have We Learned about the Biological Effects of Radiation from the 35 Years of Analysis of the Consequences of the Chernobyl NPP Accident? BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021120050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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6
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Abstract
Environmental disasters offer the unique opportunity for landscape-scale ecological and evolutionary studies that are not possible in the laboratory or small experimental plots. The nuclear accident at Chernobyl (1986) allows for rigorous analyses of radiation effects on individuals and populations at an ecosystem scale. Here, the current state of knowledge related to populations within the Chernobyl region of Ukraine and Belarus following the largest civil nuclear accident in history is reviewed. There is now a significant literature that provides contrasting and occasionally conflicting views of the state of animals and how they are affected by this mutagenic stressor. Studies of genetic and physiological effects have largely suggested significant injuries to individuals inhabiting the more radioactive areas of the Chernobyl region. Most population censuses for most species suggest that abundances are reduced in the more radioactive areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A. Mousseau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
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7
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Kugathasan T, Mothersill C. Radiobiological and social considerations following a radiological terrorist attack; mechanisms, detection and mitigation: review of new research developments. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 98:855-864. [PMID: 34644238 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1988180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This review focuses on recent research in understanding the different aspects of what society should expect from a radiological attack. Although some scenarios of a radiologic event can be impossible to be prepared for, the effort put toward educating and better preparing for these types of events can help minimize some of the issues. The different areas discussed in this review include radioisotopes of concern, detection of radiation dose, biological effects of ionizing radiation exposures, low dose effects, targeted and non-targeted effects (NTE), psychological effects, mitigations, with a brief mention of other considerations such as medical preparedness, communication, policy implications and ethical issues. This review also discusses solutions to rectify the issues faced at hand that may come up in the event of a radiologic terrorist attack. CONCLUSIONS A review of recent work in the area shows that a multi-layered and interdisciplinary approach is needed to prepare for a radiological terrorist attack. As well as medical preparedness, the approach needs to include sociological and psychological planning as well as an understanding of ethical issues. Since the likely 'dirty bomb' scenarios may involve low dose exposures to high numbers of people, a much better theoretical and practical understanding of low dose radiobiology and the development of robust low dose exposure biomarkers is needed as part of an integrated plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Kugathasan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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8
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Jernfors T, Danforth J, Kesäniemi J, Lavrinienko A, Tukalenko E, Fajkus J, Dvořáčková M, Mappes T, Watts PC. Expansion of rDNA and pericentromere satellite repeats in the genomes of bank voles Myodes glareolus exposed to environmental radionuclides. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:8754-8767. [PMID: 34257925 PMCID: PMC8258220 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered copy number of certain highly repetitive regions of the genome, such as satellite DNA within heterochromatin and ribosomal RNA loci (rDNA), is hypothesized to help safeguard the genome against damage derived from external stressors. We quantified copy number of the 18S rDNA and a pericentromeric satellite DNA (Msat-160) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) inhabiting the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), an area that is contaminated by radionuclides and where organisms are exposed to elevated levels of ionizing radiation. We found a significant increase in 18S rDNA and Msat-160 content in the genomes of bank voles from contaminated locations within the CEZ compared with animals from uncontaminated locations. Moreover, 18S rDNA and Msat-160 copy number were positively correlated in the genomes of bank voles from uncontaminated, but not in the genomes of animals inhabiting contaminated, areas. These results show the capacity for local-scale geographic variation in genome architecture and are consistent with the genomic safeguard hypothesis. Disruption of cellular processes related to genomic stability appears to be a hallmark effect in bank voles inhabiting areas contaminated by radionuclides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni Jernfors
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - John Danforth
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyRobson DNA Science CentreArnie Charbonneau Cancer InstituteCumming School of MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
| | - Jenni Kesäniemi
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Anton Lavrinienko
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Eugene Tukalenko
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical ScienceKyivUkraine
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and ProteomicsCentral European Institute of Technology (CEITEC)Masaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and ProteomicsNCBRFaculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and RadiobiologyInstitute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Martina Dvořáčková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and ProteomicsCentral European Institute of Technology (CEITEC)Masaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Phillip C. Watts
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
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9
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Ultrafiltration Extract of Radix Angelica Sinensis and Radix Hedysari Attenuates Risk of Low-Dose X-Ray Radiation-Induced Myocardial Fibrosis In Vitro. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5580828. [PMID: 34007293 PMCID: PMC8102106 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5580828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The risk of radiation-induced heart damage (RIHD) is a growing concern since recent advances in radiation therapy (RT) for cancer treatments have significantly improved the number of survivors. Radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis (RIMF) is the final pathological condition of RIHD and main change leading to serious cardiovascular complications following RT. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrafiltration extract of Radix Angelica Sinensis and Radix Hedysari (RAS-RH) on the proliferation, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) of cardiac fibroblasts after X-irradiation in vitro. The RAS-RH extract was from the Danggui Buxue decoction (DBD) in TCM. Primary cardiac fibroblasts were irradiated with 1 Gy X-ray to evaluate the effect of RAS-RH on the expression levels of cell proliferation, apoptosis, ROS, and fibrotic molecules. Our data demonstrated that X-irradiation at 1 Gy resulted in the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts; RAS-RH attenuated the myocardial fibrosis. Furthermore, X-ray radiation reduced the apoptosis of cardiac fibroblasts; RAS-RH accelerated the apoptosis of these cells after irradiation. In addition, the damage driven by ROS in primary cardiac fibroblasts after irradiation was weakened by RAS-RH and the expression of TGF-β1, Col1, and α-SMA increased after irradiation; RAS-RH decreased the expression of these makers. Overall, these data indicate that low-dose X-ray irradiation boosts myocardial fibrosis, and the effect of RAS-RH protects against fibrosis via attenuating the proliferation and accelerating the apoptosis of myocardial fibroblasts after X-irradiation.
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10
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Němcová L, Marková S, Kotlík P. Gene Expression Variation of Candidate Endogenous Control Genes Across Latitudinal Populations of the Bank Vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.562065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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11
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Ionizing Radiation and Translation Control: A Link to Radiation Hormesis? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186650. [PMID: 32932812 PMCID: PMC7555331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis, or mRNA translation, is one of the most energy-consuming functions in cells. Translation of mRNA into proteins is thus highly regulated by and integrated with upstream and downstream signaling pathways, dependent on various transacting proteins and cis-acting elements within the substrate mRNAs. Under conditions of stress, such as exposure to ionizing radiation, regulatory mechanisms reprogram protein synthesis to translate mRNAs encoding proteins that ensure proper cellular responses. Interestingly, beneficial responses to low-dose radiation exposure, known as radiation hormesis, have been described in several models, but the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon are largely unknown. In this review, we explore how differences in cellular responses to high- vs. low-dose ionizing radiation are realized through the modulation of molecular pathways with a particular emphasis on the regulation of mRNA translation control.
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12
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Cannon G, Kiang JG. A review of the impact on the ecosystem after ionizing irradiation: wildlife population. Int J Radiat Biol 2020; 98:1054-1062. [PMID: 32663058 PMCID: PMC10139769 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1793021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE On 26 April 1986, reactor 4 at the Chernobyl power plant underwent a catastrophic failure leading to core explosions and open-air fires. On 11 March 2011, a combination of earthquake and tsunami led to a similar disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. In both cases, radioactive isotopes were released and contaminated the air, soil and water in a substantial area around the power plants. Humans were evacuated from the immediate regions but the wildlife stayed and continued to be affected by the ongoing high radiation exposure initially and later decayed amounts of fallout dusts with time. In this review, we will examine the significant effects of the increased radiation on vegetation, insects, fish, birds and mammals. CONCLUSIONS The initial intense radiation in these areas has gradually begun to decrease but still remains high. Adaptation to radiation is evident and the ecosystems have dynamically changed from the periods immediately after the accidents to the present day. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow the adaptation and recovery of wildlife to chronic radiation challenges would aid in future attempts at ecosystem remediation in the wake of such incidents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgetta Cannon
- Radiation Combined Injury Program, Scientific Research Department, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juliann G Kiang
- Radiation Combined Injury Program, Scientific Research Department, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Radix Angelica Sinensis and Radix Hedysari Ultrafiltration Extract Protects against X-Irradiation-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis in Rats. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:4675851. [PMID: 32382291 PMCID: PMC7191370 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4675851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis (RIMF) is the main pathological change associated with radiation-induced heart toxicity after radiation therapy in patients with thoracic tumors. There is an antifibrosis effect of Radix Angelica Sinensis and Radix Hedysari (RAS-RH) ultrafiltration extract from Danggui Buxue decoction (DBD) in X-irradiation-induced rat myocardial fibrosis, and this study aimed to investigate whether that effect correlated with apoptosis and oxidative stress damage in primary rat cardiac fibroblasts; further, the potential mechanisms were also explored. In this study, we first found that the RAS-RH antifibrosis effect was associated with the upregulation of microRNA-200a and the downregulation of TGF-β1/smad3 and COL1α. In addition, we also found that the antifibrosis effect of RAS-RH was related to the induction of apoptosis in primary rat cardiac fibroblasts and to the prevention of damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Interestingly, primary rat cardiac fibroblasts exposed to X-ray radiation underwent apoptosis less frequently in the absence of RAS-RH. Therefore, RAS-RH has the ability to protect against fibrosis, which could be occurring through the induction of apoptosis and the resistance to oxidative stress in rats with X-irradiation-induced myocardial fibrosis; thus, in a model of RIMF, RAS-RH acts against X-irradiation-induced cardiac toxicity.
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14
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Shuryak I. Review of resistance to chronic ionizing radiation exposure under environmental conditions in multicellular organisms. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 212:106128. [PMID: 31818732 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation resistance occurs among many phylogenetic groups and its mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Tolerances to acute and chronic irradiation do not always correlate because different mechanisms may be involved. The radioresistance phenomenon becomes even more complex in the field than in the laboratory because the effects of radioactive contamination on natural populations are intertwined with those of other factors, such as bioaccumulation of radionuclides, interspecific competition, seasonal variations in environmental conditions, and land use changes due to evacuation of humans from contaminated areas. Previous reviews of studies performed in radioactive sites like the Kyshtym, Chernobyl, and Fukushima accident regions, and of protracted irradiation experiments, often focused on detecting radiation effects at low doses in radiosensitive organisms. Here we review the literature with a different purpose: to identify organisms with high tolerance to chronic irradiation under environmental conditions, which maintained abundant populations and/or outcompeted more radiosensitive species at high dose rates. Taxa for which consistent evidence for radioresistance came from multiple studies conducted in different locations and at different times were found among plants (e.g. willow and birch trees, sedges), invertebrate and vertebrate animals (e.g. rotifers, some insects, crustaceans and freshwater fish). These organisms are not specialized "extremophiles", but tend to tolerate broad ranges of environmental conditions and stresses, have small genomes, reproduce quickly and/or disperse effectively over long distances. Based on these findings, resistance to radioactive contamination can be examined in a more broad context of chronic stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Shuryak
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, VC-11-234/5, New York, NY, USA.
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Kesäniemi J, Lavrinienko A, Tukalenko E, Moutinho AF, Mappes T, Møller AP, Mousseau TA, Watts PC. Exposure to environmental radionuclides alters mitochondrial DNA maintenance in a wild rodent. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-10028-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
AbstractMitochondria are sensitive to oxidative stress, including that derived from ionizing radiation. To quantify the effects of exposure to environmental radionuclides on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) dynamics in wildlife, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) were collected from the chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ), where animals are exposed to elevated levels of radionuclides, and from uncontaminated areas within the CEZ and elsewhere in Ukraine. Brains of bank voles from outside the CEZ were characterized by low mtDNA copy number and low mtDNA damage; by contrast, bank voles within the CEZ had high mtDNA copy number and high mtDNA damage, consistent with putative damaging effects of elevated radiation and a compensatory response to maintain sufficient functioning mitochondria. In animals outside the CEZ, the expression levels of PGC-1α gene and mtDNA copy number were positively correlated as expected from this gene’s prominent role in mitochondrial biogenesis; this PGC-1α-mtDNA copy number association is absent in samples from the CEZ. Our data imply that exposure to radionuclides is associated with altered mitochondrial dynamics, evident in level of mtDNA and mtDNA damage and the level of activity in mitochondrial synthesis.
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Hancock S, Vo NTK, Goncharova RI, Seymour CB, Byun SH, Mothersill CE. One-Decade-Spanning transgenerational effects of historic radiation dose in wild populations of bank voles exposed to radioactive contamination following the chernobyl nuclear disaster. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108816. [PMID: 31627157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The concept of historic radiation doses associated with accidental radioactive releases and their role in leading to radiation-induced non-targeted effects on affected wild animals are currently being evaluated. Previous research studying Fukushima butterfly, Chernobyl bird and fruit fly populations shows that the effects are transgenerational, underlined by the principles of genomic instability, and varied from one species to another. To further expand on the responses of and their sensitivity in different taxonomically distinct groups, the present study sought to reconstruct historic radiation doses and delineate their effects on bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) found within a 400-km radius of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant meltdown site. Historic dose reconstruction from the whole-body dose rates for the bank vole samples for their parental generation at the time of radioactive release was performed. Relationships between the historic doses and cytogenetic aberrations and embryonic lethality were examined via graphical presentations. Results suggest that genomic instability develops at the historic dose range of 20-51 mGy while a radioadaptive response develops at the historic dose range of 51-356 mGy. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) relationship was absent at historic doses of lower than 356 mGy at all generations. However, LNT was apparent when the very high historic dose of 10.28 Gy in one sampling year was factored into the dose response curve for the bank vole generation 21-22. It is worth being reminded that natural mutation accumulation and other environmental stressors outside the realm of dose effects could contribute to the observed effects in a multiple-stressor environment. Nevertheless, the consistent development of genomic instability and radio-adaptive response across generations and sampling sites unearths the utmost fundamental radiobiological principle of transgenerational non-targeted effects. As a result, it calls for better attention and regulation from global governing bodies of environmental health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Hancock
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nguyen T K Vo
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roza I Goncharova
- Institute of Genetics and Cytology, National Academy of Sciences, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Colin B Seymour
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Soo Hyun Byun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Kesäniemi J, Lavrinienko A, Tukalenko E, Mappes T, Watts PC, Jurvansuu J. Infection Load and Prevalence of Novel Viruses Identified from the Bank Vole Do Not Associate with Exposure to Environmental Radioactivity. Viruses 2019; 12:E44. [PMID: 31905955 PMCID: PMC7019477 DOI: 10.3390/v12010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are host to many zoonotic viruses. As bank voles inhabiting areas contaminated by radionuclides show signs of immunosuppression, resistance to apoptosis, and elevated DNA repair activity, we predicted an association between virome composition and exposure to radionuclides. To test this hypothesis, we studied the bank vole virome in samples of plasma derived from animals inhabiting areas of Ukraine (contaminated areas surrounding the former nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, and uncontaminated areas close to Kyiv) that differed in level of environmental radiation contamination. We discovered four strains of hepacivirus and four new virus sequences: two adeno-associated viruses, an arterivirus, and a mosavirus. However, viral prevalence and viral load, and the ability to cause a systemic infection, was not dependent on the level of environmental radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Kesäniemi
- Finland Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland;
| | - Anton Lavrinienko
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland; (A.L.); (T.M.); (P.C.W.)
| | - Eugene Tukalenko
- National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Science, 02000 Kyiv, Ukraine;
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland; (A.L.); (T.M.); (P.C.W.)
| | - Phillip C. Watts
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland; (A.L.); (T.M.); (P.C.W.)
| | - Jaana Jurvansuu
- Finland Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland;
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Kesäniemi J, Jernfors T, Lavrinienko A, Kivisaari K, Kiljunen M, Mappes T, Watts PC. Exposure to environmental radionuclides is associated with altered metabolic and immunity pathways in a wild rodent. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4620-4635. [PMID: 31498518 PMCID: PMC6900138 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife inhabiting environments contaminated by radionuclides face putative detrimental effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, with biomarkers such as an increase in DNA damage and/or oxidative stress commonly associated with radiation exposure. To examine the effects of exposure to radiation on gene expression in wildlife, we conducted a de novo RNA sequencing study of liver and spleen tissues from a rodent, the bank vole Myodes glareolus. Bank voles were collected from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), where animals were exposed to elevated levels of radionuclides, and from uncontaminated areas near Kyiv, Ukraine. Counter to expectations, we did not observe a strong DNA damage response in animals exposed to radionuclides, although some signs of oxidative stress were identified. Rather, exposure to environmental radionuclides was associated with upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in the livers - an apparent shift in energy metabolism. Moreover, using stable isotope analysis, we identified that fur from bank voles inhabiting the CEZ had enriched isotope values of nitrogen: such an increase is consistent with increased fatty acid metabolism, but also could arise from a difference in diet or habitat between the CEZ and elsewhere. In livers and spleens, voles inhabiting the CEZ were characterized by immunosuppression, such as impaired antigen processing, and activation of leucocytes involved in inflammatory responses. In conclusion, exposure to low dose environmental radiation impacts pathways associated with immunity and lipid metabolism, potentially as a stress-induced coping mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Kesäniemi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Toni Jernfors
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anton Lavrinienko
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kati Kivisaari
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Mikko Kiljunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Phillip C Watts
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Geras'kin S, Volkova P, Vasiliyev D, Dikareva N, Oudalova A, Kazakova E, Makarenko E, Duarte G, Kuzmenkov A. Scots pine as a promising indicator organism for biomonitoring of the polluted environment: A case study on chronically irradiated populations. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2019; 842:3-13. [PMID: 31255224 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In this paper the main results of long-term (2003-2016) observations on Scots pine populations inhabiting sites affected by the Chernobyl accident are presented. Populations growing for many years under chronic radiation exposure are characterized by the enhanced mutation rates, increased genetic diversity, changes in the gene expression and in the level of genome-wide methylation, alterations in the temporal dynamics of cytogenetic abnormalities and genetic structure of populations. However, significant changes at the genetic level had no effects on enzymatic activity, morphological abnormalities, and reproductive ability of pine trees. The results presented increase our understanding of the long-term effects of chronic radiation exposure on plant populations in the wild nature and provide important information for the management and monitoring of radioactively contaminated territories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Polina Volkova
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Denis Vasiliyev
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Nina Dikareva
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Alla Oudalova
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russia; Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Obninsk, Russia
| | | | | | - Gustavo Duarte
- Russian Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russia; Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles, France
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