title: A novel method for biodosimetry.
abstract: Accurate methods for measuring the biological effects of radiation are critical for estimating an individual's health risk from radiation exposure. We investigated the feasibility of using radiation-induced mutations in repetitive DNA sequences to measure genetic damage caused by radiation exposure. Most repetitive sequences are in non-coding regions of the genome and alterations in these loci are usually not deleterious. Thus, mutations in non-coding repetitive sequences might accumulate, providing a stable molecular record of DNA damage caused by all past exposures. To test this hypothesis, we screened repetitive DNA sequences to identify the loci most sensitive to radiation-induced mutations and then investigated whether these mutations were stable in vivo over time and after multiple exposures. Microsatellite repeat markers were identified that exhibited a linear dose response up to 1 Gy of 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe ions and 137Cs gamma rays in mouse and human cells. Short tandem repeats on the Y chromosome and mononucleotide repeats on autosomal chromosomes exhibited significant increases in mutations at >or= 0.5 Gy of 56Fe ions with frequencies averaging 4.3-10.3 x 10(-3) mutations/locus/Gy/cell, high enough for direct detection of mutations in irradiated cells. A significant increase in radiation-induced mutations in extended mononucleotide repeats was detectible in vivo in mouse blood and cheek samples 10 and 26 weeks after radiation exposure and these mutations were additive over multiple exposures. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a novel method for biodosimetry that is applicable to humans and other species. This new approach should complement existing methods of biodosimetry and might be useful for measuring radiation exposure in circumstances that are not amenable to current methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Wael Abdel
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Megid
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ensenberger
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Halberg
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stanhope
authors.forename: Marijo G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kent-First
authors.forename: Tomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Prolla
authors.forename: Jeff W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bacher
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004247:DNA