title: Gene expression profiles in radiation workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation.
abstract: Ionizing radiation (IR) imposes risks to human health and the environment. IR at low doses and low dose rates has the potency to initiate carcinogenesis. Genotoxic environmental agents such as IR trigger a cascade of signal transduction pathways for cellular protection. In this study, using cDNA microarray technique, we monitored the gene expression profiles in lymphocytes derived from radiation-exposed individuals (radiation workers). Physical dosimetry records on these patients indicated that the absorbed dose ranged from 0.696 to 39.088 mSv. Gene expression analysis revealed statistically significant transcriptional changes in a total of 78 genes (21 up-regulated and 57 down-regulated) involved in several biological processes such as ubiquitin cycle (UHRF2 and PIAS1), DNA repair (LIG3, XPA, ERCC5, RAD52, DCLRE1C), cell cycle regulation/proliferation (RHOA, CABLES2, TGFB2, IL16), and stress response (GSTP1, PPP2R5A, DUSP22). Some of the genes that showed altered expression profiles in this study can be used as biomarkers for monitoring the chronic low level exposure in humans. Additionally, alterations in gene expression patterns observed in chronically exposed radiation workers reinforces the need for defining the effective radiation dose that causes immediate genetic damage as well as the long-term effects on genomic instability, including cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto-USP, Av Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Fachin
authors.forename: Stephano Spano
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandrin-Garcia
authors.forename: Cristina Moraes
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Junta
authors.forename: Thomaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ghilardi-Netto
authors.forename: Eduardo Antonio
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Donadi
authors.forename: Geraldo Aleixo da Silva
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.forename: Elza Tiemi
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Sakamoto-Hojo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins