title: Differential radiation sensitivity to morphological, functional and molecular changes of human thyroid tissues and bone marrow cells maintained in SCID mice.
abstract: Morphology and function of human organs and tissues are well maintained in the improved SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice for a long period (approximately 3 years). To study the radiation-induced damage on human thyroid gland, human thyroid tissues transplanted to SCID mice were consecutively exposed to X-rays or 137Cs gamma-rays at high and low dose rates for approximately 2 years. Consecutive irradiation resulted in the disappearance of follicles and significant decrease of thyroid hormone secretion. Mutations in p53 and c-kit genes were induced significantly in human thyroid tissues from old head and neck cancer patients (av. 56.8 years, 4 males) and a Graves' disease patient (20 years, male) over the dose of 24 Gy (44.7+/-5.9 Gy, mean+/-S.E) and 11 Gy (20.2+/-7.8 Gy), respectively, while mutations were not detected at lower doses nor in unexposed matched controls (p < 0.01). There were significant differences in mutation frequency in the transplanted human thyroid tissues (31 years, female) between high dose rate (1.19 Gy/min; 8 in 20 tissues) and low dose rate (0.00023 Gy/min; 0 in 14 tissues) exposures (p < 0.01). Mutations were not detected in RET, K-ras and beta-catenin genes. Expression analysis by GeneChip indicated that gene expression was also well maintained in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. However, lower doses (1 or 3 Gy) of 137Cs gamma-rays can induce changes in gene expression in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. Furthermore, fatally irradiated SCID mice could survive with human bone marrow cell transplantation. When about half of mouse bone marrows were replaced by human bone marrow cells, the human bone marrow cells showed high sensitivity to gamma-irradiation; 28.0% and 0.45% survival after 0.5 and 2.0 Gy exposures, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology and Medical Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. n5nomura@nibio.go.jp
authors.forename: Taisei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hongyo
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Li Ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mukh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Syaifudin
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ryo
authors.forename: Rajamanickam
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baskar
authors.forename: Kazuyasu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matsuzuka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009154:Mutation; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000637:transplantation