Collaborative activities in a biological dosimetry network for radiation emergencies in South Korea.

Purpose: Biological dosimetry is an essential analytic method to estimate the absorbed radiation dose in the human body by measuring changes in biomolecules after radiation exposure. Joint response in a network to mass-casualty radiation incidents is one way to overcome the limitations of biological dosimetry, sharing the workload among laboratories. This study aimed to investigate the current performance, collaborative activities and technical advances of the Korea biodosimetry network (K-BioDos), and suggest the future directions toward successful joint response.

Lessons on harmonization of scoring criteria for dicentric chromosome assay in South Korea.

Purpose: Networking with other biodosimetry laboratories is necessary to assess the radiation exposure of many individuals in large-scale radiological accidents. The Korea biodosimetry network, K-BioDos, prepared harmonized scoring guidelines for dicentric chromosome assay to obtain homogeneous results within the network and investigated the efficiency of the guidelines.

Materials And Methods: Three laboratories in K-BioDos harmonized the scoring guidelines for dicentric chromosome assay.

Improving radiation dosimetry with an automated micronucleus scoring system: correction of automated scoring errors.

Radiation dose estimations performed by automated counting of micronuclei (MN) have been studied for their utility for triage following large-scale radiological incidents; although speed is essential, it also is essential to estimate radiation doses as accurately as possible for long-term epidemiological follow-up. Our goal in this study was to evaluate and improve the performance of automated MN counting for biodosimetry using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. We measured false detection rates and used them to improve the accuracy of dosimetry.

The miR-126-5p and miR-212-3p in the extracellular vesicles activate monocytes in the early stage of radiation-induced vascular inflammation implicated in atherosclerosis.

People exposed to radiation in cancer therapy and nuclear accidents are at increased risk of cardiovascular outcomes in long-term survivors. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in radiation-induced endothelial dysfunction, but their role in the early stage of vascular inflammation after radiation exposure remains to be fully understood. Herein, we demonstrate that endothelial cell-derived EVs containing miRNAs initiate monocyte activation in radiation-induced vascular inflammation.

High-Throughput γ-H2AX Assay Using Imaging Flow Cytometry.

The γ-H2AX assay is a sensitive and reliable method to evaluate radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks. The conventional γ-H2AX assay detects individual nuclear foci manually, but is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and hence unsuitable for high-throughput screening in cases of large-scale radiation accidents. We have developed a high-throughput γ-H2AX assay using imaging flow cytometry.

LDR-adapted liver-derived cytokines have potential to induce atherosclerosis.

Purpose: Atherosclerosis is a lipid-driven chronic inflammatory disease that causes cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The association between radiation and atherosclerosis has already been demonstrated; however, the effects of low-dose radiation (LDR) exposure on atherosclerosis have not been reported. Our study aims to propose that LDR may cause atherosclerosis phenotypes by the upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and downregulation of androgen receptor (AR), which are cytokines secreted from the liver.

A subset of macrophages and monocytes in the mouse bone marrow express atypical chemokine receptor 1.

Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC)/CD234, also known as atypical chemokine receptor 1 (ACKR1), is a seven-transmembrane domain protein expressed on erythrocytes, vascular endothelium, and a subset of epithelial cells (Peiper et al., 1995). Previously, we reported that ACKR1 was expressed in bone marrow macrophages.

The Current Safety Regulation for Radiation Emergency Medicine in Korea.

Radiation emergency medicine (REM) systems are operated around the world to provide specialized care for injured individuals who require immediate medical attention in accidents. This manuscript describes the current status of REM safety regulation in Korea and summarizes an assessment of the effects of this regulation. Responding to the requests of people for stronger safety regulations related to radiation exposure, a unique REM safety regulation for nuclear licensees, which is enforceable by laws, has been established and implemented.

Chromosome aberration dynamics in breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy: Implications for radiation biodosimetry.

Although radiological accidents often result in partial-body radiation exposure, most biodosimetry studies focus on estimating whole-body exposure doses. We have evaluated time-dependent changes in chromosomal aberrations before, during, and after localized fractionated radiotherapy. Twelve patients with carcinoma in situ of the breast who underwent identical adjuvant radiation therapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions) were included in the study.

Expansion of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells ameliorated intestinal inflammatory response by radiation through SOCS3 expression.

Radiation-induced colitis is a common clinical problem after radiation therapy and accidental radiation exposure. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have immunosuppressive functions that use a variety of mechanisms to alter both the innate and the adaptive immune systems. Here, we demonstrated that radiation exposure in mice promoted the expansion of splenic and intestinal MDSCs and caused intestinal inflammation due to the increased secretion of cytokines.

An intercomparison exercise to compare scoring criteria and develop image databank for biodosimetry in South Korea.

Purpose: Mutual cooperation of biodosimetry laboratories is required for dose assessments of large numbers of people with potential radiation exposure, as in mass casualty accidents. We launched an intercomparison exercise to validate the performance of biodosimetry laboratories in South Korea.

Materials And Methods: Participating laboratories shared metaphase images from dicentric chromosome assays (DCAs) and fluorescence hybridization (FISH)-based translocation assays, which were evaluated based on their own scoring protocols.

Chronic radiation exposure aggravates atherosclerosis by stimulating neutrophil infiltration.

Background: Radiation exposure is known to increase the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as atherosclerosis, by modulating inflammation.

Methods: To investigate the infiltration of leukocytes in radiation-aggravated atherosclerosis, we examined low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice and C57BL/6j mice after exposure to 0.5 or 1 Gy radiation over 16 weeks.

Autophagic Organelles in DNA Damage Response.

Autophagy is an important subcellular event engaged in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis the degradation of cargo proteins and malfunctioning organelles. In response to cellular stresses, like nutrient deprivation, infection, and DNA damaging agents, autophagy is activated to reduce the damage and restore cellular homeostasis. One of the responses to cellular stresses is the DNA damage response (DDR), the intracellular pathway that senses and repairs damaged DNA.

Assessment of an Emergency Medicine System for Radiation Accidents in Korea: A State Survey of the Workers Involved the Medical Response to Radiation Accidents.

Radiation emergency medicine systems are operated around the world to provide special care for the injured that require immediate medical attention in accidents. The objective of this survey was to evaluate people's perception of those who design the emergency medical plan for radiation accidents and those who supervise it in Korea. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the people involved in a regulatory system for medical response in a radiation emergency.

Role of Commensal Microbes in the γ-Ray Irradiation-Induced Physiological Changes in .

Ionizing radiation induces biological/physiological changes and affects commensal microbes, but few studies have examined the relationship between the physiological changes induced by irradiation and commensal microbes. This study investigated the role of commensal microbes in the γ-ray irradiation-induced physiological changes in . The bacterial load was increased in 5 Gy irradiated flies, but irradiation decreased the number of operational taxonomic units.

Risk perception of radiation emergency medical staff on low-dose radiation exposure: Knowledge is a critical factor.

Radiation emergency medical (REM) staff respond to many types of disasters such as radiological and nuclear accidents as well as environmental radioactivity exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk perception of REM staff on radiation exposure in various situations and to analyze the factors that affect their risk perception. A questionnaire was given to 284 REM staff affiliated with various organizations, including nuclear power generation, nuclear fuel manufacturing, large-scale irradiation, and radiation-waste disposal facilities, as well as research and development institutions.

Inhibition of EphA2 by Dasatinib Suppresses Radiation-Induced Intestinal Injury.

Radiation-induced multiorgan dysfunction is thought to result primarily from damage to the endothelial system, leading to a systemic inflammatory response that is mediated by the recruitment of leukocytes. The Eph-ephrin signaling pathway in the vascular system participates in various disease developmental processes, including cancer and inflammation. In this study, we demonstrate that radiation exposure increased intestinal inflammation via endothelial dysfunction, caused by the radiation-induced activation of EphA2, an Eph receptor tyrosine kinase, and its ligand ephrinA1.

The Emerging Roles of Exosomes as EMT Regulators in Cancer.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) causes epithelial cells to lose their polarity and adhesion property, and endows them with migratory and invasive properties to enable them to become mesenchymal stem cells. EMT occurs throughout embryonic development, during wound healing, and in various pathological processes, including tumor progression. Considerable research in the last few decades has revealed that EMT is invariably related to tumor aggressiveness and metastasis.

Cellular Stress Responses in Radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy is one of the major cancer treatment strategies. Exposure to penetrating radiation causes cellular stress, directly or indirectly, due to the generation of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and subcellular organelle damage and autophagy. These radiation-induced damage responses cooperatively contribute to cancer cell death, but paradoxically, radiotherapy also causes the activation of damage-repair and survival signaling to alleviate radiation-induced cytotoxic effects in a small percentage of cancer cells, and these activations are responsible for tumor radio-resistance.

Decreased FBP1 expression rewires metabolic processes affecting aggressiveness of glioblastoma.

Radiotherapy is a standard treatment option for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Although it has high therapeutic efficacy, some proportion of the tumor cells that survive after radiotherapy may cause side effects. In this study, we found that fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1), a rate-limiting enzyme in gluconeogenesis, was downregulated upon treatment with ionizing radiation (IR).

Mapping the research trends on the biological effects of radiation less than 100 mSv: a bibliometric analysis for 30 years publication.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the global scientific publication of biological research of low dose radiation for the past 30 years and provide the insights into the characteristics of research activities and major topics regarding biological effects of low dose radiation exposure.

Materials And Methods: We bibliometrically investigated the biological research publication of radiation exposure less than 100 mSv. References published from 1987 to 2016 were achieved from the Scopus database and filtered by several criteria such as publication types, research fields, and radiation dose range.

SUSTAINABLE MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR RADIATION EMERGENCIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.

This paper provides information about the medical preparedness and response system for radiation emergencies in Republic of Korea. The National Radiation Emergency Medical Center (NREMC) oversees medical affairs in the Korean radiological disaster prevention system since its establishment in 2002. It has dedicated itself to set up a nationwide radiation emergency medicine network with 24 designated radiation emergency hospitals.