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Brzóska K, Abend M, O'Brien G, Gregoire E, Port M, Badie C. Calibration curve for radiation dose estimation using FDXR gene expression biodosimetry - premises and pitfalls. Int J Radiat Biol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38953870 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2024.2373751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Radiation-induced alterations in gene expression show great promise for dose reconstruction and for severity prediction of acute health effects. Among several genes explored as potential biomarkers, FDXR is widely used due to high upregulation in white blood cells following radiation exposure. Nonetheless, the absence of a standardized protocols for gene expression-based biodosimetry is a notable gap that warrants attention to enhance the accuracy, reproducibility and reliability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of transcriptional biodosimetry to differences in protocols used by different laboratories and establish guidelines for the calculation of calibration curve using FDXR expression data. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two sets of irradiated blood samples generated during RENEB exercise were used. The first included samples irradiated with known doses including: 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Gy. The second set consisted of three 'blind' samples irradiated with 1.8 Gy, 0.4 Gy and a sham-irradiated sample. After irradiation, samples were incubated at 37 °C over 24 h and sent to participating laboratories, where RNA isolation and FDXR expression analysis by qPCR were performed using sets of primers/probes and reference genes specific for each laboratory. Calibration curves based on FDXR expression data were generated using non-linear and linear regression and used for dose estimation of 'blind' samples. RESULTS Dose estimates for sham-irradiated sample (0.020-0.024 Gy) and sample irradiated with 0.4 Gy (0.369-0.381 Gy) showed remarkable consistency across all laboratories, closely approximating the true doses regardless variation in primers/probes and reference genes used. For sample irradiated with 1.8 Gy the dose estimates were less precise (1.198-2.011 Gy) but remained within an acceptable margin for triage within the context of high dose range. CONCLUSION Methodological differences in reference genes and primers/probes used for FDXR expression measurement do not have a significant impact on the dose estimates generated, provided that all reference genes performed as expected and the primers/probes target a similar set of transcript variants. The preferred method for constructing a calibration curve based on FDXR expression data involves employing linear regression to establish a function that describes the relationship between the logarithm of absorbed dose and FDXR ΔCt values. However, one should be careful with using non-irradiated sample data as these cannot be accurately represented on a logarithmic scale. A standard curve generated using this approach can give reliable dose estimations in a dose range from 50 mGy to 4 Gy at least.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Brzóska
- Centre for Radiobiology and Biological Dosimetry, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michael Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Grainne O'Brien
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers Group, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, UK Health Security Agency, Oxfordshire, England
| | - Eric Gregoire
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-Santé, SERAMED, LRAcc, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Matthias Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Christophe Badie
- Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers Group, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, UK Health Security Agency, Oxfordshire, England
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Schwanke D, Schüle S, Stewart S, Fatanmi OO, Wise SY, Hackenbroch C, Wiegel T, Singh VK, Port M, Abend M, Ostheim P. Validating a Four-gene Set for H-ARS Severity Prediction in Peripheral Blood Samples of Irradiated Rhesus Macaques. Radiat Res 2024; 201:504-513. [PMID: 38471521 DOI: 10.1667/rade-23-00162.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Increased radiological and nuclear threats require preparedness. Our earlier work identified a set of four genes (DDB2, FDXR, POU2AF1 and WNT3), which predicts severity of the hematological acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) within the first three days postirradiation In this study of 41 Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, 27 males, 14 females) irradiated with 5.8-7.2 Gy (LD29-50/60), including some treated with gamma-tocotrienol (GT3, a radiation countermeasure) we independently validated these genes as predictors in both sexes and examined them after three days. At the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute/Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, peripheral whole blood (1 ml) of Rhesus macaques was collected into PAXgene® Blood RNA tubes pre-irradiation after 1, 2, 3, 35 and 60 days postirradiation, stored at -80°C for internal experimental analyses. Leftover tubes from these already ongoing studies were kindly provided to Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology. RNA was isolated (QIAsymphony), converted into cDNA, and for further gene expression (GE) studies quantitative RT-PCR was performed. Differential gene expression (DGE) was measured relative to the pre-irradiation Rhesus macaques samples. Within the first three days postirradiation, we found similar results to human data: 1. FDXR and DDB2 were up-regulated, FDXR up to 3.5-fold, and DDB2 up to 13.5-fold in the median; 2. POU2AF1 appeared down regulated around tenfold in nearly all Rhesus macaques; 3. Contrary to human data, DDB2 was more up-regulated than FDXR, and the difference of the fold change (FC) ranged between 2.4 and 10, while the median fold changes of WNT3, except days 1 and 35, were close to 1. Nevertheless, 46% of the Rhesus macaques showed down-regulated WNT3 on day one postirradiation, which decreased to 12.2% on day 3 postirradiation. Considering the extended phase, there was a trend towards decreased fold changes at day 35, with median-fold changes ranging from 0.7 for DDB2 to 0.1 for POU2AF1, and on day 60 postirradiation, DGE in surviving animals was close to pre-exposure values for all four genes. In conclusion, the diagnostic significance for radiation-induced H-ARS severity prediction of FDXR, DDB2, and POU2AF1 was confirmed in this Rhesus macaques model. However, DDB2 showed higher GE values than FDXR. As shown in previous studies, the diagnostic significance of WNT3 could not be reproduced in Rhesus macaques; this could be due to the choice of animal model and methodological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Schwanke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - S Schüle
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - S Stewart
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - O O Fatanmi
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, and
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - S Y Wise
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, and
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - C Hackenbroch
- Department of Radiology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Ulm, Ulm Germany
| | - T Wiegel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | - V K Singh
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, and
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - M Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - M Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - P Ostheim
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
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3
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Muhtadi R, Stewart S, Bunert F, Fatanmi OO, Wise SY, Gärtner C, Motzke S, Ruf C, Ostheim P, Schüle S, Schwanke D, Singh VK, Port M, Abend M. PUM1 and PGK1 are Favorable Housekeeping Genes over Established Biodosimetry-related Housekeeping Genes such as HPRT1, ITFG1, DPM1, MRPS5, 18S rRNA and Others after Radiation Exposure. Radiat Res 2024; 201:487-498. [PMID: 38471523 DOI: 10.1667/rade-23-00160.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In gene expression (GE) studies, housekeeping genes (HKGs) are required for normalization purposes. In large-scale inter-laboratory comparison studies, significant differences in dose estimates are reported and divergent HKGs are employed by the teams. Among them, the 18S rRNA HKG is known for its robustness. However, the high abundance of 18S rRNA copy numbers requires dilution, which is time-consuming and a possible source of errors. This study was conducted to identify the most promising HKGs showing the least radiation-induced GE variance after radiation exposure. In the screening stage of this study, 35 HKGs were analyzed. This included selected HKGs (ITFG1, MRPS5, and DPM1) used in large-scale biodosimetry studies which were not covered on an additionally employed pre-designed 96-well platform comprising another 32 HKGs used for different exposures. Altogether 41 samples were examined, including 27 ex vivo X-ray irradiated blood samples (0, 0.5, 4 Gy), six X-irradiated samples (0, 0.5, 5 Gy) from two cell lines (U118, A549), as well as eight non-irradiated tissue samples to encompass multiple biological entities. In the independent validation stage, the most suitable candidate genes were examined from another 257 blood samples, taking advantage of already stored material originating from three studies. These comprise 100 blood samples from ex vivo X-ray irradiated (0-4 Gy) healthy donors, 68 blood samples from 5.8 Gy irradiated (cobalt-60) Rhesus macaques (RM) (LD29/60) collected 0-60 days postirradiation, and 89 blood samples from chemotherapy-(CTx) treated breast tumor patients. CTx and radiation-induced GE changes in previous studies appeared comparable. RNA was isolated, converted into cDNA, and GE was quantified employing TaqMan assays and quantitative RT-PCR. We calculated the standard deviation (SD) and the interquartile range (IQR) as measures of GE variance using raw cycle threshold (Ct) values and ranked the HKGs accordingly. Dose, time, age, and sex-dependent GE changes were examined employing the parametrical t-test and non-parametrical Kruskal Wallis test, as well as linear regression analysis. Generally, similar ranking results evolved using either SD or IQR GE measures of variance, indicating a tight distribution of GE values. PUM1 and PGK1 showed the lowest variance among the first ten most suitable genes in the screening phase. MRPL19 revealed low variance among the first ten most suitable genes in the screening phase only for blood and cells, but certain comparisons indicated a weak association of MRPL19 with dose (P = 0.02-0.09). In the validation phase, these results could be confirmed. Here, IQR Ct values from, e.g., X-irradiated blood samples were 0.6 raw Ct values for PUM1 and PGK1, which is considered to represent GE differences as expected due to methodological variance. Overall, when compared, the GE variance of both genes was either comparable or lower compared to 18S rRNA. Compared with the IQR GE values of PUM1 and PGKI, twofold-fivefold increased values were calculated for the biodosimetry HKG HPRT1, and comparable values were calculated for biodosimetry HKGs ITFG1, MRPS5, and DPM1. Significant dose-dependent associations were found for ITFG1 and MRPS5 (P = 0.001-0.07) and widely absent or weak (P = 0.02-0.07) for HPRT1 and DPM1. In summary, PUM1 and PGK1 appeared most promising for radiation exposure studies among the 35 HKGs examined, considering GE variance and adverse associations of GE with dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Muhtadi
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
- Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Stewart
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
- Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - F Bunert
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
- Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - O O Fatanmi
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - S Y Wise
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - C Gärtner
- Microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Jena, Germany
| | - S Motzke
- Microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Jena, Germany
| | - C Ruf
- Department of Urology, Federal Armed Services Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - P Ostheim
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - S Schüle
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - D Schwanke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - V K Singh
- Division of Radioprotectants, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
- Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - M Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - M Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
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Schüle S, Ostheim P, Muhtadi R, Stewart S, Kaletka G, Hermann C, Port M, Abend M. Evaluating transport conditions of conventional, widely used EDTA blood tubes for gene expression analysis in comparison to expensive, specialized PAXgene tubes in preparedness for radiological and nuclear events. Int J Radiat Biol 2023; 100:99-107. [PMID: 37676284 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2023.2250871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gene expression (GE) analysis of a radio-sensitive gene set (FDXR, DDB2, WNT3, POU2AF1) has been introduced in the last decade as an early and high-throughput prediction tool of later developing acute hematologic radiation syndrome (H-ARS) severity. The use of special tubes for RNA extraction from peripheral whole blood (PAXgene) represent an established standard in GE studies, although uncommonly used in clinics and not immediately available in the quantities needed in radiological/nuclear (R/N) incidents. On the other hand, EDTA blood tubes are widely utilized in clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using blood samples from eleven healthy donors, we investigated GE changes associated with delayed processing of EDTA tubes up to 4 h at room temperature (RT) after venipuncture (simulating delays caused by daily clinical routine), followed by a subsequent transport time of 24 h at RT, 4 °C, and -20 °C. Differential gene expression (DGE) of the target genes was further examined after X-irradiation with 0 Gy and 4 Gy under optimal transport conditions. RESULTS No significant changes in DGE were observed when storing EDTA whole blood samples up to 4 h at RT and subsequently kept at 4 °C for 24 h which is in line with expected DGE. However, other storage conditions, such as -20 °C or RT, decreased RNA quality and/or (significantly) caused changes in DGE exceeding the known methodological variance of the qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that the use of EDTA whole blood tubes for GE-based H-ARS severity prediction is comparable to the quality of PAXgene tubes, when processed ≤ 4 h after venipuncture and the sample is transported within 24 hours at 4 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Schüle
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Patrick Ostheim
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Razan Muhtadi
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Samantha Stewart
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Gwendolyn Kaletka
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelius Hermann
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
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Lacombe J, Summers AJ, Khanishayan A, Khorsandian Y, Hacey I, Blackson W, Zenhausern F. Paper-Based Vertical Flow Immunoassay for the Point-of-Care Multiplex Detection of Radiation Dosimetry Genes. Cytogenet Genome Res 2023; 163:178-186. [PMID: 37369178 PMCID: PMC10751381 DOI: 10.1159/000531702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In a nuclear or radiological incident, first responders must quickly and accurately measure radiation exposure among civilians as medical countermeasures are radiation dose-dependent and time-sensitive. Although several approaches have been explored to measure absorbed radiation dose, there is an important need to develop point-of-care (POC) bioassay devices that can be used immediately to triage thousands of individuals potentially exposed to radiation. Here we present a proof-of-concept study showing the use of a paper-based vertical flow immunoassay (VFI) to detect radiation dosimetry genes. Using labeled primers during amplification and a multiplex membrane, our results showed that the nucleic acid VFI can simultaneously detect two biodosimetry genes, CDKN1A and DDB2, as well as one housekeeping gene MRPS5. The assay demonstrated good linearity and precision with an inter- and intra-assay coefficient of variance <20% and <10%, respectively. Moreover, the assay showed its ability to discriminate non-irradiated controls (0 Gy) from irradiated samples (1 + 2 Gy) with an overall sensitivity of 62.5% and specificity of 100% (AUC = 0.8672, 95% CI: 0.723-1.000; p = 0.004). Interestingly, the gene combination also showed a dose-dependent response for 0, 1, and 2 Gy, similar to data obtained by real-time PCR benchmark. These preliminary results suggest that a VFI platform can be used to detect simultaneously multiple genes that can be then quantified, thus offering a new approach for a POC biodosimetry assay that could be rapidly deployed on-site to test a large population and help triage and medical management after radiological event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Lacombe
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Alexander J. Summers
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ashkan Khanishayan
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Yasaman Khorsandian
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Isabella Hacey
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Wyatt Blackson
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Frederic Zenhausern
- Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine Phoenix, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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López-Riego M, Płódowska M, Lis-Zajęcka M, Jeziorska K, Tetela S, Węgierek-Ciuk A, Sobota D, Braziewicz J, Lundholm L, Lisowska H, Wojcik A. The DNA damage response to radiological imaging: from ROS and γH2AX foci induction to gene expression responses in vivo. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2023:10.1007/s00411-023-01033-4. [PMID: 37335333 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-023-01033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Candidate ionising radiation exposure biomarkers must be validated in humans exposed in vivo. Blood from patients undergoing positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan (PET-CT) and skeletal scintigraphy (scintigraphy) was drawn before (0 h) and after (2 h) the procedure for correlation analyses of the response of selected biomarkers with radiation dose and other available patient information. FDXR, CDKN1A, BBC3, GADD45A, XPC, and MDM2 expression was determined by qRT-PCR, DNA damage (γH2AX) by flow cytometry, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by flow cytometry using the 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate test in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). For ROS experiments, 0- and 2-h samples were additionally exposed to UVA to determine whether diagnostic irradiation conditioned the response to further oxidative insult. With some exceptions, radiological imaging induced weak γH2AX foci, ROS and gene expression fold changes, the latter with good coherence across genes within a patient. Diagnostic imaging did not influence oxidative stress in PBMC successively exposed to UVA. Correlation analyses with patient characteristics led to low correlation coefficient values. γH2AX fold change, which correlated positively with gene expression, presented a weak positive correlation with injected activity, indicating a radiation-induced subtle increase in DNA damage and subsequent activation of the DNA damage response pathway. The exposure discrimination potential of these biomarkers in the absence of control samples as frequently demanded in radiological emergencies, was assessed using raw data. These results suggest that the variability of the response in heterogeneous populations might complicate identifying individuals exposed to low radiation doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milagrosa López-Riego
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Magdalena Płódowska
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Milena Lis-Zajęcka
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Kamila Jeziorska
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Sylwia Tetela
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Aneta Węgierek-Ciuk
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Daniel Sobota
- Department of Medical Physics, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Janusz Braziewicz
- Department of Medical Physics, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
- Department of Nuclear Medicine With Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Unit, Holy Cross Cancer Centre, Kielce, Poland
| | - Lovisa Lundholm
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Halina Lisowska
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Andrzej Wojcik
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
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Port M, Barquinero JF, Endesfelder D, Moquet J, Oestreicher U, Terzoudi G, Trompier F, Vral A, Abe Y, Ainsbury L, Alkebsi L, Amundson S, Badie C, Baeyens A, Balajee A, Balázs K, Barnard S, Bassinet C, Beaton-Green L, Beinke C, Bobyk L, Brochard P, Brzoska K, Bucher M, Ciesielski B, Cuceu C, Discher M, D,Oca M, Domínguez I, Doucha-Senf S, Dumitrescu A, Duy P, Finot F, Garty G, Ghandhi S, Gregoire E, Goh V, Güçlü I, Hadjiiska L, Hargitai R, Hristova R, Ishii K, Kis E, Juniewicz M, Kriehuber R, Lacombe J, Lee Y, Lopez Riego M, Lumniczky K, Mai T, Maltar-Strmečki N, Marrale M, Martinez J, Marciniak A, Maznyk N, McKeever S, Meher P, Milanova M, Miura T, Gil OM, Montoro A, Domene MM, Mrozik A, Nakayama R, O’Brien G, Oskamp D, Ostheim P, Pajic J, Pastor N, Patrono C, Pujol-Canadell M, Rodriguez MP, Repin M, Romanyukha A, Rößler U, Sabatier L, Sakai A, Scherthan H, Schüle S, Seong K, Sevriukova O, Sholom S, Sommer S, Suto Y, Sypko T, Szatmári T, Takahashi-Sugai M, Takebayashi K, Testa A, Testard I, Tichy A, Triantopoulou S, Tsuyama N, Unverricht-Yeboah M, Valente M, Van Hoey O, Wilkins R, Wojcik A, Wojewodzka M, Younghyun L, Zafiropoulos D, Abend M. RENEB Inter-Laboratory Comparison 2021: Inter-Assay Comparison of Eight Dosimetry Assays. Radiat Res 2023; 199:535-555. [PMID: 37310880 PMCID: PMC10508307 DOI: 10.1667/rade-22-00207.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tools for radiation exposure reconstruction are required to support the medical management of radiation victims in radiological or nuclear incidents. Different biological and physical dosimetry assays can be used for various exposure scenarios to estimate the dose of ionizing radiation a person has absorbed. Regular validation of the techniques through inter-laboratory comparisons (ILC) is essential to guarantee high quality results. In the current RENEB inter-laboratory comparison, the performance quality of established cytogenetic assays [dicentric chromosome assay (DCA), cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN), stable chromosomal translocation assay (FISH) and premature chromosome condensation assay (PCC)] was tested in comparison to molecular biological assays [gamma-H2AX foci (gH2AX), gene expression (GE)] and physical dosimetry-based assays [electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), optically or thermally stimulated luminescence (LUM)]. Three blinded coded samples (e.g., blood, enamel or mobiles) were exposed to 0, 1.2 or 3.5 Gy X-ray reference doses (240 kVp, 1 Gy/min). These doses roughly correspond to clinically relevant groups of unexposed to low exposed (0-1 Gy), moderately exposed (1-2 Gy, no severe acute health effects expected) and highly exposed individuals (>2 Gy, requiring early intensive medical care). In the frame of the current RENEB inter-laboratory comparison, samples were sent to 86 specialized teams in 46 organizations from 27 nations for dose estimation and identification of three clinically relevant groups. The time for sending early crude reports and more precise reports was documented for each laboratory and assay where possible. The quality of dose estimates was analyzed with three different levels of granularity, 1. by calculating the frequency of correctly reported clinically relevant dose categories, 2. by determining the number of dose estimates within the uncertainty intervals recommended for triage dosimetry (±0.5 Gy or ±1.0 Gy for doses <2.5 Gy or >2.5 Gy), and 3. by calculating the absolute difference (AD) of estimated doses relative to the reference doses. In total, 554 dose estimates were submitted within the 6-week period given before the exercise was closed. For samples processed with the highest priority, earliest dose estimates/categories were reported within 5-10 h of receipt for GE, gH2AX, LUM, EPR, 2-3 days for DCA, CBMN and within 6-7 days for the FISH assay. For the unirradiated control sample, the categorization in the correct clinically relevant group (0-1 Gy) as well as the allocation to the triage uncertainty interval was, with the exception of a few outliers, successfully performed for all assays. For the 3.5 Gy sample the percentage of correct classifications to the clinically relevant group (≥2 Gy) was between 89-100% for all assays, with the exception of gH2AX. For the 1.2 Gy sample, an exact allocation to the clinically relevant group was more difficult and 0-50% or 0-48% of the estimates were wrongly classified into the lowest or highest dose categories, respectively. For the irradiated samples, the correct allocation to the triage uncertainty intervals varied considerably between assays for the 1.2 Gy (29-76%) and 3.5 Gy (17-100%) samples. While a systematic shift towards higher doses was observed for the cytogenetic-based assays, extreme outliers exceeding the reference doses 2-6 fold were observed for EPR, FISH and GE assays. These outliers were related to a particular material examined (tooth enamel for EPR assay, reported as kerma in enamel, but when converted into the proper quantity, i.e. to kerma in air, expected dose estimates could be recalculated in most cases), the level of experience of the teams (FISH) and methodological uncertainties (GE). This was the first RENEB ILC where everything, from blood sampling to irradiation and shipment of the samples, was organized and realized at the same institution, for several biological and physical retrospective dosimetry assays. Almost all assays appeared comparably applicable for the identification of unexposed and highly exposed individuals and the allocation of medical relevant groups, with the latter requiring medical support for the acute radiation scenario simulated in this exercise. However, extreme outliers or a systematic shift of dose estimates have been observed for some assays. Possible reasons will be discussed in the assay specific papers of this special issue. In summary, this ILC clearly demonstrates the need to conduct regular exercises to identify research needs, but also to identify technical problems and to optimize the design of future ILCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - J. Moquet
- UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Division, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - G. Terzoudi
- National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Health Physics, Radiobiology & Cytogenetics Laboratory, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - F. Trompier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - A. Vral
- Ghent University, Radiobiology Research Unit, Gent, Belgium
| | - Y. Abe
- Department of Radiation Biology and Protection, Nagasaki University, Japan
| | - L. Ainsbury
- UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Cytogenetics and Pathology Group, Oxfordshire, England
| | - L Alkebsi
- Department of Radiation Measurement and Dose Assessment, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - S.A. Amundson
- Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York
| | - C. Badie
- UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Division, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - A. Baeyens
- Ghent University, Radiobiology Research Unit, Gent, Belgium
| | - A.S. Balajee
- Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Laboratory, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - K. Balázs
- Radiation Medicine Unit, Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary
| | - S. Barnard
- UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Division, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - C. Bassinet
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | | | - C. Beinke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - L. Bobyk
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Bretigny Sur Orge, France
| | | | - K. Brzoska
- Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M. Bucher
- Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - B. Ciesielski
- Medical University of Gdansk, Department of Physics and Biophysics, Gdansk, Poland
| | - C. Cuceu
- Genevolution, Porcheville, France
| | - M. Discher
- Paris-Lodron-University of Salzburg, Department of Environment and Biodiversity, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - M.C. D,Oca
- Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica “Emilio Segrè,” Palermo, Italy
| | - I. Domínguez
- Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Biología Celular, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - A. Dumitrescu
- National Institute of Public Health, Radiation Hygiene Laboratory, Bucharest, Romania
| | - P.N. Duy
- Dalat Nuclear Research Institute, Radiation Technlogy & Biotechnology Center, Dalat City, Vietnam
| | - F. Finot
- Genevolution, Porcheville, France
| | - G. Garty
- Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York
| | - S.A. Ghandhi
- Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York
| | - E. Gregoire
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - V.S.T. Goh
- Department of Radiobiology, Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - I. Güçlü
- TENMAK, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Technology Development and Nuclear Research Department, Türkey
| | - L. Hadjiiska
- National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - R. Hargitai
- Radiation Medicine Unit, Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary
| | - R. Hristova
- National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - K. Ishii
- Department of Radiation Measurement and Dose Assessment, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - E. Kis
- Radiation Medicine Unit, Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary
| | - M. Juniewicz
- Medical University of Gdansk, Department of Physics and Biophysics, Gdansk, Poland
| | - R. Kriehuber
- Department of Safety and Radiation Protection, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - J. Lacombe
- University of Arizona, Center for Applied Nanobioscience & Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Y. Lee
- Laboratory of Biological Dosimetry, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - K. Lumniczky
- Radiation Medicine Unit, Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary
| | - T.T. Mai
- Dalat Nuclear Research Institute, Radiation Technlogy & Biotechnology Center, Dalat City, Vietnam
| | - N. Maltar-Strmečki
- Ruðer Boškovic Institute, Division of Physical Chemistry, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - M. Marrale
- Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica “Emilio Segrè,” Palermo, Italy
| | - J.S. Martinez
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | - A. Marciniak
- Medical University of Gdansk, Department of Physics and Biophysics, Gdansk, Poland
| | - N. Maznyk
- Radiation Cytogenetics Laboratory, S.P. Grigoriev Institute for Medical Radiology and Oncology of Ukrainian National Academy of Medical Science, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - S.W.S. McKeever
- Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | | | - M. Milanova
- University of Defense, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - T. Miura
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - O. Monteiro Gil
- Instituto Superior Técnico/ Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - A. Montoro
- Servicio de Protección Radiológica. Laboratorio de Dosimetría Biológica, Valencia, Spain
| | - M. Moreno Domene
- Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Laboratorio de dosimetría biológica, Madrid, Spain
| | - A. Mrozik
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - R. Nakayama
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - G. O’Brien
- UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Division, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - D. Oskamp
- Department of Safety and Radiation Protection, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - P. Ostheim
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - J. Pajic
- Serbian Institute of Occupational Health, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - N. Pastor
- Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Biología Celular, Sevilla, Spain
| | - C. Patrono
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome, Italy
| | | | - M.J. Prieto Rodriguez
- Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Laboratorio de dosimetría biológica, Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Repin
- Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, Center for Radiological Research, New York, New York
| | | | - U. Rößler
- Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | | | - A. Sakai
- Department of Radiation Life Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - H. Scherthan
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - S. Schüle
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
| | - K.M. Seong
- Laboratory of Biological Dosimetry, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - S. Sholom
- Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - S. Sommer
- Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Y. Suto
- Department of Radiation Measurement and Dose Assessment, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - T. Sypko
- Radiation Cytogenetics Laboratory, S.P. Grigoriev Institute for Medical Radiology and Oncology of Ukrainian National Academy of Medical Science, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - T. Szatmári
- Radiation Medicine Unit, Department of Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, National Public Health Centre, Budapest, Hungary
| | - M. Takahashi-Sugai
- Department of Radiation Life Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - K. Takebayashi
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - A. Testa
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome, Italy
| | - I. Testard
- CEA-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - A. Tichy
- University of Defense, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - S. Triantopoulou
- National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Health Physics, Radiobiology & Cytogenetics Laboratory, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - N. Tsuyama
- Department of Radiation Life Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - M. Unverricht-Yeboah
- Department of Safety and Radiation Protection, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - M. Valente
- CEA-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - O. Van Hoey
- Belgian Nuclear Research Center SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | | | - A. Wojcik
- Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M. Wojewodzka
- Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lee Younghyun
- Laboratory of Biological Dosimetry, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - D. Zafiropoulos
- Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro - Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Legnaro, Italy
| | - M. Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Munich, Germany
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8
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Schüle S, Hackenbroch C, Beer M, Muhtadi R, Hermann C, Stewart S, Schwanke D, Ostheim P, Port M, Scherthan H, Abend M. Ex-vivo dose response characterization of the recently identified EDA2R gene after low level radiation exposures and comparison with FDXR gene expression and the γH2AX focus assay. Int J Radiat Biol 2023; 99:1584-1594. [PMID: 36988552 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2023.2194402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recently, promising radiation-induced EDA2R gene expression (GE) changes after low level radiation could be shown. Stimulated by that, in this study, we intended to independently validate these findings and to further characterize dose-response relationships in comparison to FDXR and the γH2AX-DNA double-strand break (DSB) focus assay, since both assays are already widely used for biodosimetry purposes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Peripheral blood samples from six healthy human donors were irradiated ex vivo (dose: ranging from 2.6 to 49.7 mGy). Subsequently, the fold-differences relative to the sham irradiated reference group were calculated. Radiation-induced changes in GE of FDXR and EDA2R were examined using the quantitative real-time polymerase-chain-reaction (qRT-PCR). DSB foci were quantified in 100 γH2AX + 53BP1 immunostained cells employing fluorescence microscopy. Examinations were performed at single time points enabling sufficient detection of both endpoints. RESULTS A significant increase in EDA2R GE relative to the unexposed control was observed in the range of 2.6 mGy (1.6-fold, p = .045) to 5.4 mGy (2.2-fold, p = .0002), whereas the copy numbers increased linearly up to 13.1-fold at 49.7 mGy. On the contrary, FDXR upregulation (2.2-fold) became significant after a 22.6 mGy exposure (p ≤ .02) and increased linearly up to 4-fold at 49.7 mGy. A significant increase in radiation-induced foci (relative to unexposed, RIF-fd) was observed after 11.3 mGy (RIF-fd: 1.5 ± 0.5, p ≤ .03), while the foci increased linearly up to 3-fold at 49.7 mGy. From this, the FDXR and RIF-fd slopes have shown comparability, while the EDA2R slope was five times higher. Nevertheless, the coefficient of variation (CV) of EDA2R was about 30% higher than for RIF-fd. CONCLUSION Higher radiation-induced EDA2R GE changes and a lower radiation detection level compared to RIF-fd and FDXR GE changes examined under optimal conditions ex vivo on human samples appear promising. Yet, our results represent just the beginning of further studies to be conducted in animal models for further time- and dose-dependent evaluation and additional examinations on radiologically examined patients to evaluate the impact of confounder, such as age, sex, social behavior, or diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Schüle
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Carsten Hackenbroch
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, German Armed Force Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Meinrad Beer
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Razan Muhtadi
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelius Hermann
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Samantha Stewart
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Schwanke
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Patrick Ostheim
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Harry Scherthan
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Abend
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, Affiliated to the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany
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