Immune Dysfunction from Radiation Exposure.

The hematopoietic system is highly sensitive to ionizing radiation. Damage to the immune system may result in opportunistic infections and hemorrhage, which could lead to mortality. Inflammation triggered by tissue damage can also lead to additional local or widespread tissue damage.

Considerations of Medical Preparedness to Assess and Treat Various Populations During a Radiation Public Health Emergency.

During a radiological or nuclear public health emergency, given the heterogeneity of civilian populations, it is incumbent on medical response planners to understand and prepare for a potentially high degree of interindividual variability in the biological effects of radiation exposure. A part of advanced planning should include a comprehensive approach, in which the range of possible human responses in relation to the type of radiation expected from an incident has been thoughtfully considered. Although there are several reports addressing the radiation response for special populations (as compared to the standard 18-45-year-old male), the current review surveys published literature to assess the level of consideration given to differences in acute radiation responses in certain sub-groups.

Animal Care in Radiation Medical Countermeasures Studies.

Animal models are necessary to demonstrate the efficacy of medical countermeasures (MCM) to mitigate/treat acute radiation syndrome and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure and develop biodosimetry signatures for use in triage and to guide medical management. The use of animal models in radiation research allows for the simulation of the biological effects of exposure in humans. Robust and well-controlled animal studies provide a platform to address basic mechanistic and safety questions that cannot be conducted in humans.

Development of Biomarkers for Radiation Biodosimetry and Medical Countermeasures Research: Current Status, Utility, and Regulatory Pathways.

Biomarkers are important indicators of biological processes in health or disease. For this reason, they play a critical role in advanced development of radiation biodosimetry tools and medical countermeasures (MCMs). They can aid in the assessment of radiation exposure level, extent of radiation-induced injury, and/or efficacy of a MCM.

Acute Radiation Syndrome and the Microbiome: Impact and Review.

Study of the human microbiota has been a centuries-long endeavor, but since the inception of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Microbiome Project in 2007, research has greatly expanded, including the space involving radiation injury. As acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is multisystemic, the microbiome niches across all areas of the body may be affected. This review highlights advances in radiation research examining the effect of irradiation on the microbiome and its potential use as a target for medical countermeasures or biodosimetry approaches, or as a medical countermeasure itself.

Cutaneous Radiation Injuries: Models, Assessment and Treatments.

Many cases of human exposures to high-dose radiation have been documented, including individuals exposed during the detonation of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear power plant disasters (e.g., Chernobyl), as well as industrial and medical accidents.

Metabolomics in Radiation Biodosimetry: Current Approaches and Advances.

Triage and medical intervention strategies for unanticipated exposure during a radiation incident benefit from the early, rapid and accurate assessment of dose level. Radiation exposure results in complex and persistent molecular and cellular responses that ultimately alter the levels of many biological markers, including the metabolomic phenotype. Metabolomics is an emerging field that promises the determination of radiation exposure by the qualitative and quantitative measurements of small molecules in a biological sample.