Project description:Caesium-137 (Cs-137) is one of the major radionuclides appearing in the natural environment after nuclear power plant accidents. However, the biological effects of low-dose internal irradiation with this radionuclide remain unclear. We developed an experimental model for studying low-dose internal irradiation using cultured human cells. The cells were incubated in the culture medium supplemented with unsealed Cs-137 chloride. We used the Monte Carlo simulation method for measuring internal irradiation because making direct measurements was not possible. The simulation revealed that 96.40%?99.70% of the internal irradiation involved ?-particles and other electrons. During the experiment, a gradual incorporation of Cs-137 in the cells, and the absorbed dose rate increased in a time-dependent manner. In addition, the number of ?-H2AX and 53BP1 nuclear foci in the cells increased by internal irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. Microarray analysis revealed time-dependent alterations in gene expression caused by the radiation. These results demonstrate that our experimental system can be useful in the investigation of the effects of low-dose internal irradiation.
Project description:The effects of low dose irradiation on the gene expression on the neural cell development using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS cells).
Project description:The effects of low dose irradiation on the gene expression on the neural cell development using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS cells).
Project description:Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) present a novel platform for in vitro investigation of the early embryonic cellular response to ionizing radiation. Thus far, no study has analyzed the genome-wide transcriptional response to ionizing radiation in hESCs. In this study, we use Agilent microarrays to analyze the global gene expression changes in H9 hESCs after low (0.4 Gy), medium (2 Gy), and high (4 Gy) dose irradiation. Undifferentiated H9 hESCs were cultured on Matrigel in feeder-free conditions, and exposed to ionizing radiation at the indicated dosage (or control) from a Cesium-137 irradiator. Total RNA was isolated 24 hours after irradiation in the same feeder-free culture conditions. Experiment was repeated three times for each group, yielding a total of 12 distinct samples.
Project description:Arabidopsis thaliana plants are grown for one week in a hydroponic growth system and transferred to new plant medium containing low levels of Caesium-137 (control is transferred to new medium with no radioactivity) and left for further two weeks. Levels of Caesium-137 are chosen according to research and are reflecting occurring levels found in radioactive contaminated soil. The plants are then harvested and the samples divided into shoot and root samples. Experimenter name = Yu-Jin Heinekamp Experimenter phone = 0044-117-3442102 Experimenter address = University of the West of England (UWE) Experimenter address = Faculty of Applied Sciences Experimenter address = Center for Research in Plants, GRI Experimenter address = Coldharbour Lane Experimenter address = Bristol Experimenter zip/postal_code = BS6 5BP Experimenter country = UK Keywords: organism_part_comparison_design
Project description:Arabidopsis thaliana plants are grown for one week in a hydroponic growth system and transferred to new plant medium containing low levels of Caesium-137 (control is transferred to new medium with no radioactivity) and left for further two weeks. Levels of Caesium-137 are chosen according to research and are reflecting occurring levels found in radioactive contaminated soil. The plants are then harvested and the samples divided into shoot and root samples. Experimenter name = Yu-Jin Heinekamp; Experimenter phone = 0044-117-3442102; Experimenter address = University of the West of England (UWE); Experimenter address = Faculty of Applied Sciences; Experimenter address = Center for Research in Plants, GRI; Experimenter address = Coldharbour Lane; Experimenter address = Bristol; Experimenter zip/postal_code = BS6 5BP; Experimenter country = UK Experiment Overall Design: 12 samples were used in this experiment
Project description:Low and high doses of X-rays are used in medicine as diagnostic and therapeutic tools, respectively. While response to high doses of radiation is well known, contradictions exist about effects of low-dose irradiation. Therefore, improving the knowledge on the consequences of low-dose irradiation could help to address this controversy. Moreover, describing new insights into high-dose irradiation would improve new cancer therapies combining radiation and gene therapy. As long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) seems to be engaged to almost all biological functions, including response to DNA damage, we aimed to describe the participation of lncRNAs in the response to different doses of X-ray exposure. We observed that, in human breast epithelial cells, different sets of coding and non-coding transcripts are differentially regulated at moderate and high doses compared to low doses. The validation of expression of five lncRNAs only regulated at high and moderate X-ray doses supports our results. Altogether, we could conclude that response to moderate and high dose irradiation versus response to low-doses also differs in terms of lncRNA expression. Therefore, further studies on the participation of lncRNAs in this response to radiation would help to address controversies regarding low-dose irradiation response and to improve therapies using high-dose irradiation.
Project description:To obtain more insight in the molecular effects of chronic low dose irradiation on endothelial cells, HUVEC were irradiated with low-dose rate irradiation (137Cs gamma source; 0, 1.4 and 4.1 mGy/h) for several weeks. At different time points (1, 3 and 6 weeks) cells were harvested for RNA extraction and hybridisation to Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays.