The ICRP, MELODI, and ALLIANCE workshop on effects of ionizing radiation exposure in offspring and next generations: a summary of discussions.

Purpose: Task Group 121 - Effects of ionizing radiation exposure in offspring and next generations - is a task group under the Committee 1 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), approved by the Main Commission on 18th November 2021. The main goals of Task Group 121 are to (1) review and update the scientific literature of relevance to radiation-related effects in the offspring of parent(s) exposed to ionizing radiation in both human and non-human biota; (2) to assess preconceptional and intrauterine effects of radiation exposure and related morbidity and mortality; and, (3) to provide advice about the level of evidence and how to consider these preconceptional and postconceptional effects in the system of radiological protection for humans and non-human biota.

Methods: The Task Group is reviewing relevant literature since Publication 90 'Biological effects after prenatal irradiation (embryo and fetus)' (2003) and will include radiation-related effects on future generations in humans, animals, and plants.

Ionizing radiation exposure effects across multiple generations: evidence and lessons from non-human biota.

A Task Group (TG121) of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Committee 1 was launched in 2021 to study the effects of ionizing radiation in offspring and next generations. In this report, we summarize the evidence of multi- and trans-generational effects in non-human biota species that was discussed at the ICRP workshop entitled "Effects of Ionizing Radiation Exposure in Offspring and Next Generations" in June 2022. Epigenetic changes, including changes in DNA methylation, have been observed in trans- and multi-generational irradiation studies in both plants and animals.

Two distinct mechanisms lead to either oocyte or spermatocyte decrease in C. elegans after whole developmental exposure to γ-rays.

Wildlife is subject to various sources of pollution, including ionizing radiation. Adverse effects can impact the survival, growth, or reproduction of organisms, later affecting population dynamics. In invertebrates, reproduction, which directly impacts population dynamics, has been found to be the most radiosensitive endpoint.

Editorial trend: adverse outcome pathway (AOP) and computational strategy - towards new perspectives in ecotoxicology.

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) has been conceptualized in 2010 as an analytical construct to describe a sequential chain of causal links between key events, from a molecular initiating event leading to an adverse outcome (AO), considering several levels of biological organization. An AOP aims to identify and organize available knowledge about toxic effects of chemicals and drugs, either in ecotoxicology or toxicology, and it can be helpful in both basic and applied research and serve as a decision-making tool in support of regulatory risk assessment. The AOP concept has evolved since its introduction, and recent research in toxicology, based on integrative systems biology and artificial intelligence, gave it a new dimension.

Altered ovarian transcriptome is linked to early mortality and abnormalities in zebrafish embryos after maternal exposure to gamma irradiation.

Recent laboratory studies focusing on multigenerational approach demonstrated drastic phenotypic effects after chronic fish irradiation exposure. No irradiation effect at phenotypic scale was observed for F0 (reproductive performances) while early mortality and malformations were observed in F1 offspring whether they were irradiated or not. The objective was to study molecular mechanisms likely to be involved in these phenotypic effects induced by parental irradiation.

Insights into the modes of action of tritium on the early-life stages of zebrafish, Danio rerio, using transcriptomic and proteomic analyses.

In the environment, populations are exposed to different kinds of ionizing radiation. Little is known about their modes of action on non-human species, and whether or not they are similar for alpha, beta and gamma radiations, considered as the reference. In this context, tritium effects (beta emitter) under the form of tritiated water (HTO) were investigated in zebrafish, a common model in toxicology and ecotoxicology with a fully sequenced genome.

Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for radiation-induced reproductive effects in environmental species: state of science and identification of a consensus AOP network.

Background: Reproductive effects of ionizing radiation in organisms have been observed under laboratory and field conditions. Such assessments often rely on associations between exposure and effects, and thus lacking a detailed mechanistic understanding of causality between effects occurring at different levels of biological organization. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP), a conceptual knowledge framework to capture, organize, evaluate and visualize the scientific knowledge of relevant toxicological effects, has the potential to evaluate the causal relationships between molecular, cellular, individual, and population effects.

Deciphering Differential Life Stage Radioinduced Reproductive Decline in through Lipid Analysis.

Wildlife is chronically exposed to various sources of ionizing radiations, both environmental or anthropic, due to nuclear energy use, which can induce several defects in organisms. In invertebrates, reproduction, which directly impacts population dynamics, has been found to be the most radiosensitive endpoint. Understanding the underlying molecular pathways inducing this reproduction decrease can help in predicting the effects at larger scales (i.

Screening of potential uranium protein targets in fish ovaries after chronic waterborne exposure: Differences and similarities between roach and zebrafish.

Concentration of uranium (U), a naturally encountered radioactive element in earth's crust, can be enhanced in freshwater ecosystems (μg.L - mg.L) due to various anthropogenic activities.

A systems biology approach reveals neuronal and muscle developmental defects after chronic exposure to ionising radiation in zebrafish.

Contamination of the environment after the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) disasters led to the exposure of a large number of humans and wild animals to radioactive substances. However, the sub-lethal consequences induced by these absorbed radiological doses remain understudied and the long-term biological impacts largely unknown. We assessed the biological effects of chronic exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) on embryonic development by exposing zebrafish embryo from fertilization and up to 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf) at dose rates of 0.

Use of fish otoliths as a temporal biomarker of field uranium exposure.

This study aimed to determine uranium (U) pollution over time using otoliths as a marker of fish U contamination. Experiments were performed in field contamination (~20 μg L: encaged fish: 15d, 50d and collected wild fish) and in laboratory exposure conditions (20 and 250 μg L, 20d). We reported the U seasonal concentrations in field waterborne exposed roach fish (Rutilus rutilus), in organs and otoliths.

Differential modification of the C. elegans proteome in response to acute and chronic gamma radiation: Link with reproduction decline.

Emission of ionizing radiation (IR) in the environment is a natural phenomenon which can be enhanced by human activities. Ecosystems are then chronically exposed to IR. But environmental risk assessment of chronic exposure suffers from a lack of knowledge.

Interplay between ionizing radiation effects and aging in C. elegans.

Living species are chronically exposed to environmental ionizing radiations from sources that can be overexpressed by nuclear accidents. In invertebrates, reproduction is the most radiosensitive studied endpoint, likely to be connected with aging. Surprisingly, aging is a sparsely investigated endpoint after chronic ionizing radiation, whereas understanding it is of fundamental interest in biology and medicine.

Uranium transfer and accumulation in organs of Danio rerio after waterborne exposure alone or combined with diet-borne exposure.

Uranium (U) toxicity patterns for fish have been mainly determined under laboratory-controlled waterborne exposure conditions. Because fish can take up metals from water and diet under in situ exposure conditions, a waterborne U exposure experiment (20 μg L , 20 d) was conducted in the laboratory to investigate transfer efficiency and target organ distribution in zebrafish Danio rerio compared with combined waterborne exposure (20 μg L ) and diet-borne exposure (10.7 μg g ).

Precoce and opposite response of proteasome activity after acute or chronic exposure of C. elegans to γ-radiation.

Species are chronically exposed to ionizing radiation, a natural phenomenon which can be enhanced by human activities. The induced toxicity mechanisms still remain unclear and seem depending on the mode of exposure, i.e.

In vivo identification of potential uranium protein targets in zebrafish ovaries after chronic waterborne exposure.

Ecotoxicological studies have indicated the reprotoxicity of uranium (U) in zebrafish, but its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Due to the non-covalent nature of U-protein complexes, canonical proteomics approaches are often not relevant as they usually use denaturating reagents or solvents. In this study, non-denaturating (ND) methods were used to obtain insight into the nature of U potential targets in ovaries of reproduced and non-reproduced zebrafish after 20 days of exposure to an environmentally relevant U concentration (20 μg L).

In situ visualization of carbonylation and its co-localization with proteins, lipids, DNA and RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans.

All key biological macromolecules are susceptible to carbonylation - an irreparable oxidative damage with deleterious biological consequences. Carbonyls in proteins, lipids and DNA from cell extracts have been used as a biomarker of oxidative stress and aging, but formation of insoluble aggregates by carbonylated proteins precludes quantification. Since carbonylated proteins correlate with and become a suspected cause of morbidity and mortality in some organisms, there is a need for their accurate quantification and localization.

Benchmarking of protein carbonylation analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans: specific considerations and general advice.

Oxidative stress has been extensively studied due to its correlation with cellular disorders and aging. In proteins, one biomarker of oxidative stress is the presence of carbonyl groups, such as aldehyde and ketone, in specific amino acid side chains such as lysine, proline, arginine and threonine, so-called protein carbonylation (PC). PC study is now a growing field in general and medical science since PC accumulation is associated with various pathologies and disorders.

Proteome changes in rat serum after a chronic ingestion of enriched uranium: Toward a biological signature of internal contamination and radiological effect.

The civilian and military use of uranium results in an increased risk of human exposure. The toxicity of uranium results from both its chemical and radiological properties that vary with isotopic composition. Validated biomarkers of health effects associated with exposure to uranium are neither sensitive nor specific to uranium radiotoxicity and/or radiological effect.

Insights into the nature of uranium target proteins within zebrafish gills after chronic and acute waterborne exposures.

New data on the nature of the protein targets of uranium (U) within zebrafish gills were collected after waterborne exposure, with the aim of a better understanding of U toxicity mechanisms. Some common characteristics of the U protein target binding properties were found, such as their role in the regulation of other essential metals and their phosphorus content. In total, 21 potential protein targets, including hemoglobin, are identified and discussed in terms of the literature.

Nested interactions in the combined toxicity of uranium and cadmium to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Uranium is a natural, ubiquitous radioactive element for which elevated concentrations can be found in the vicinity of some nuclear fuel cycle facilities or intensive farming areas, and most often in mixtures with other contaminants such as cadmium, due to co-occurrence in geological ores (e.g. U- or P-ore).