title: Radiation-induced apoptosis of stem/progenitor cells in human umbilical cord blood is associated with alterations in reactive oxygen and intracellular pH.
abstract: To investigate the sensitivity of human hematopoietic stem cell populations to radiation and its relevance to intracellular events, specifically alteration in cellular energy production systems, we examined the frequency of apoptotic cells, generation of superoxide anions (O*2-), and changes in cytosol pH in umbilical cord blood (UCB) CD34+/CD38-, CD34+/CD38+ and CD34-/CD38+ cells before and after 5Gy of X-irradiation. Human UCB mononucleated cells were used in this study. After X-irradiation and staining subgroups of the cells with fluorescence (FITC, PE, or CY)-labeled anti-CD34 and anti-CD38 antibodies, analyses were performed by FACScan using as stains 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) for the detection of apoptosis, and hydroethidine (HE) for the measurement of O*2- generation in the cells. For intracellular pH, image analysis was conducted using confocal laser microscopy after irradiation and staining with carboxy-SNAFR-1. The frequency of apoptotic cells, as determined by cell staining with 7-AAD, was highest in the irradiated CD34+/CD38- cell population, where the level of O*2- detected by the oxidation of HE was also most highly elevated. Intracellular pH measured with carboxy-SNARF-1-AM by image cytometer appeared to be lowest in the same irradiated CD34+/CD38- cell population, and this intracellular pH decreased as early as 4 h post-irradiation, virtually simultaneous with the significant elevation of O*2- generation. These results suggest that the CD34+/CD38- stem cell population is sensitive to radiation-induced apoptosis as well as production of intracellular O*2-, compare to more differentiated CD34+/CD38+ and CD34-/CD38+ cells and that its intracellular pH declines at an early phase in the apoptosis process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiobiology/Molecular Epidemiology, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hijyama Park, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, Japan. tomo@rerf.or.jp
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Ikue
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagamura
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Seishi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyoizumi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seyama
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakachi
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species