Cellular radiation effects and the bystander response.
This report reviews briefly some of the findings reported over the past 2 years that enhance our understanding of the radiation-induced bystander effect. These developments include: technicological advances; the role of oxidative stress; the effect of cytoplasmic irradiation; cell-to-cell communication; and evidence that Connexin 43 mediated intercellular communication is induced by radiation exposure. A few overriding unanswered questions are discussed. These include: what is the signal(s) transmitted from irradiated to bystander cells; what is the relationship between the bystander response and other non-targeted effects of radiation; are there beneficial effects associated with the bystander response; and what is the significance of the bystander effect for radiation protection?
Little
John B
JB
Center for Radiation Sciences and Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jlittle@hsph.harvard.edu
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000528:radiation effects; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D042822:Genomic Instability / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000528:radiation effects; D011853:Radiobiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects
D018031:Connexin 43