DNA damage and repair in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after internal ex vivo irradiation of patient blood with I.

Aim: The aim of this study was to provide a systematic approach to characterize DNA damage induction and repair in isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after internal ex vivo irradiation with [I]NaI. In this approach, we tried to mimic ex vivo the irradiation of patient blood in the first hours after radioiodine therapy.

Material And Methods: Blood of 33 patients of two centres was collected immediately before radioiodine therapy of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and split into two samples.

Impact of soil moisture on cesium uptake by plants: Model assessment.

Computational models of radioisotopes soil-to-plant transfer are an essential component of decision support systems for nuclear emergency and assessment impact of nuclear accidents on human beings and the environment. The soil water regime impact on cations behavior in the «soil-plant » system. Therefore, relationships between radioisotopes accumulation by plants and soil moisture should be included in the computational models.

Modification of a SERS-active Ag surface to promote adsorption of charged analytes: effect of Cu ions.

This work studies the impact of the electrostatic interaction between analyte molecules and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the intensity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). For this, we fabricated nanostructured plasmonic films by immobilization of Ag NPs on glass plates and functionalized them by a set of differently charged hydrophilic thiols (sodium 2-mercaptoethyl sulfonate, mercaptopropionic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-(dimethylamino)ethanethiol hydrochloride, and thiocholine) to vary the surface charge of the SERS substrate. We used two oppositely charged porphyrins, cationic copper(II) tetrakis(4--methylpyridyl) porphine (CuTMpyP4) and anionic copper(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (CuTSPP4), with equal charge value and similar structure as model analytes to probe the SERS signal.

Early molecular markers for retrospective biodosimetry and prediction of acute health effects.

Radiation-induced biological changes occurring within hours and days after irradiation can be potentially used for either exposure reconstruction (retrospective dosimetry) or the prediction of consecutively occurring acute or chronic health effects. The advantage of molecular protein or gene expression (GE) (mRNA) marker lies in their capability for early (1-3 days after irradiation), high-throughput and point-of-care diagnosis, required for the prediction of the acute radiation syndrome (ARS) in radiological or nuclear scenarios. These molecular marker in most cases respond differently regarding exposure characteristics such as e.

Development of a model for fibroblast-led collective migration from breast cancer cell spheroids to study radiation effects on invasiveness.

Background: Invasiveness is a major factor contributing to metastasis of tumour cells. Given the broad variety and plasticity of invasion mechanisms, assessing potential metastasis-promoting effects of irradiation for specific mechanisms is important for further understanding of potential adverse effects of radiotherapy. In fibroblast-led invasion mechanisms, fibroblasts produce tracks in the extracellular matrix in which cancer cells with epithelial traits can follow.

Alkylation of rabbit muscle creatine kinase surface methionine residues inhibits enzyme activity in vitro.

Creatine kinase (CK) catalyzes the formation of phosphocreatine from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine. The highly reactive free cysteine residue in the active site of the enzyme (Cys) is considered essential for the enzymatic activity. In previous studies we demonstrated that Cys is targeted by the alkylating chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard (SM) yielding a thioether with a hydroxyethylthioethyl (HETE)-moiety.

Gene expression changes in male and female rhesus macaque 60 days after irradiation.

Purpose: Transcriptome changes can be expected in survivors after lethal irradiation. We aimed to characterize these in males and females and after different cytokine treatments 60 days after irradiation.

Material And Methods: Male and female rhesus macaques (n = 142) received a whole-body exposure with 700 cGy, from which 60 animals survived.

Early-response multiple-parameter biodosimetry and dosimetry: risk predictions.

The accepted generic multiple-parameter and early-response biodosimetry and dosimetry assessment approach for suspected high-dose radiation (i.e. life-threatening) exposure includes measuring radioactivity associated with the exposed individual (if appropriate); observing and recording prodromal signs/symptoms; obtaining serial complete blood counts with white-blood-cell differential; sampling blood for the chromosome-aberration cytogenetic bioassay using the 'gold standard' dicentric assay (premature chromosome condensation assay for exposures >5 Gy photon acute doses equivalent), measurement of proteomic biomarkers and gene expression assays for dose assessment; bioassay sampling, if appropriate, to determine radioactive internal contamination; physical dose reconstruction, and using other available opportunistic dosimetry approaches.

Training of clinical triage of acute radiation casualties: a performance comparison ofversustraining due to the covid-19 pandemic.

A collection of powerful diagnostic tools have been developed under the umbrellas of NATO for ionising radiation dose assessment (BAT, WinFRAT) and estimate of acute health effects in humans (WinFRAT, H-Module). We assembled a database of 191 ARS cases using the medical treatment protocols for radiation accident victims (= 167) and the system for evaluation and archiving of radiation accidents based on case histories (= 24) for training purposes of medical personnel. From 2016 to 2019, we trained 39 participants comprising MSc level radiobiology students in an on-site teaching class.

RENEB/EURADOS field exercise 2019: robust dose estimation under outdoor conditions based on the dicentric chromosome assay.

Purpose: Biological and/or physical assays for retrospective dosimetry are valuable tools to recover the exposure situation and to aid medical decision making. To further validate and improve such biological and physical assays, in 2019, EURADOS Working Group 10 and RENEB performed a field exercise in Lund, Sweden, to simulate various real-life exposure scenarios.

Materials And Methods: For the dicentric chromosome assay (DCA), blood tubes were located at anthropomorphic phantoms positioned in different geometries and were irradiated with a 1.

A comparison of thyroidal protection by iodine and perchlorate against radioiodine exposure in Caucasians and Japanese.

Radioactive iodine released in nuclear accidents may accumulate in the thyroid and by irradiation enhances the risk of cancer. Radioiodine uptake into the gland can be inhibited by large doses of stable iodine or perchlorate. Nutritional iodine daily intake may impact thyroid physiology, so that radiological doses absorbed by the thyroid as well as thyroid blocking efficacy may differ in Japanese with a very rich iodine diet compared to Caucasians.

RENEB Inter-Laboratory comparison 2017: limits and pitfalls of ILCs.

Purpose: In case of a mass-casualty radiological event, there would be a need for networking to overcome surge limitations and to quickly obtain homogeneous results (reported aberration frequencies or estimated doses) among biodosimetry laboratories. These results must be consistent within such network. Inter-laboratory comparisons (ILCs) are widely accepted to achieve this homogeneity.

Inter-laboratory comparison of gene expression biodosimetry for protracted radiation exposures as part of the RENEB and EURADOS WG10 2019 exercise.

Large-scale radiation emergency scenarios involving protracted low dose rate radiation exposure (e.g. a hidden radioactive source in a train) necessitate the development of high throughput methods for providing rapid individual dose estimates.

The potential of adipokines in identifying multiple trauma patients at risk of developing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Background: Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and the consecutive multiple organ failure (MOF) are severe and dreaded complications with a high mortality in multiple trauma patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of the adipokines leptin, resistin, interleukin-17A and interleukin-33 as possible biomarkers in the early posttraumatic inflammatory response and for identifying severely traumatized patients at risk of developing MODS.

Methods: In total, 14 multiple trauma patients with an injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 16 as well as a control group of 14 non-multiple trauma patients were included in this study and blood samples were taken at the time points 0, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after admission.

Heterogeneity of nanomechanical properties of the human umbilical vein endothelial cell surface.

Endothelial cells, due to heterogeneity in the cell structure, can potentially form an inhomogeneous on structural and mechanical properties of the inner layer of the capillaries. Using quantitative nanomechanical mapping mode of atomic force microscopy, the parameters of the structural, elastic, and adhesive properties of the cell surface for living and glutaraldehyde-fixed human umbilical vein endothelial cells were studied. A significant difference in the studied parameters for three cell surface zones (peripheral, perinuclear, and nuclear zones) was established.

In situ determination of Cs inventory in soil using a field-portable scintillation gamma spectrometer-dosimeter.

A new empirical method for in situ determination of the inventory of Cs in soil (A, kBq m) at grasslands and forests using a field-portable NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer-dosimeter was developed. The method is based on evaluation of the ambient dose equivalent build-up factor. The practical implementation of the new method with the spectrometer-dosimeter does not require a priori knowledge of the vertical distribution of Cs in soil.

Analyzing the impact of 900 MHz EMF short-term exposure to the expression of 667 miRNAs in human peripheral blood cells.

More than ever before, people around the world are frequently exposed to different sections of the electromagnetic spectrum, mainly emitted from wireless modern communication technologies. Especially, the level of knowledge on non-thermal biological EMF effects remains controversial. New technologies allow for a more detailed detection of non-coding RNAs which affect the post-transcriptional control.

Bardoxolone-Methyl (CDDO-Me) Impairs Tumor Growth and Induces Radiosensitization of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Radiotherapy represents a common treatment strategy for patients suffering from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, application of radiotherapy is immanently limited by radio-sensitivity of normal tissue surrounding the tumor sites. In this study, we used normal human epithelial keratinocytes (NHEK) and OSCC cells (Cal-27) as models to investigate radio-modulating and anti-tumor effects of the synthetic triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9,-dien-28-oic acid methyl ester (CDDO-Me).

α-Particle-induced DNA damage tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of [Ra]RaCl-treated prostate cancer patients.

Purpose: One therapy option for prostate cancer patients with bone metastases is the use of [Ra]RaCl. The α-emitter Ra creates DNA damage tracks along α-particle trajectories (α-tracks) in exposed cells that can be revealed by immunofluorescent staining of γ-H2AX+53BP1 DNA double-strand break markers. We investigated the time- and absorbed dose-dependency of the number of α-tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients undergoing their first therapy with [Ra]RaCl.

Genomic Adaption and Mutational Patterns in a HaCaT Subline Resistant to Alkylating Agents and Ionizing Radiation.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that can damage DNA via alkylation and oxidative stress. Because of its genotoxicity, SM is cancerogenic and the progenitor of many chemotherapeutics. Previously, we developed an SM-resistant cell line via chronic exposure of the popular keratinocyte cell line HaCaT to increasing doses of SM over a period of 40 months.

Acute radiation syndrome-related gene expression in irradiated peripheral blood cell populations.

Purpose: In a nuclear or radiological event, an early diagnostic tool is needed to distinguish the worried well from those individuals who may later develop life-threatenFing hematologic acute radiation syndrome. We examined the contribution of the peripheral blood's cell populations on radiation-induced gene expression (GE) changes.

Materials And Methods: EDTA-whole-blood from six healthy donors was X-irradiated with 0 and 4Gy and T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, NK-cells and granulocytes were separated using immunomagnetic methods.