title: Gene expression signatures of radiation exposure in peripheral white blood cells of smokers and non-smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The issue of potential confounding factors is critical to the development of any approach to radiation biodosimetry, and has not been fully addressed for gene expression-based approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a step in this direction, we have investigated the effect of smoking on the global radiation gene expression response in ex vivo-irradiated peripheral blood cells using microarray analysis. We also evaluated the ability of gene expression signatures to predict the radiation exposure level of ex vivo-exposed samples from smokers and non-smokers of both genders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified eight genes with a radiation response that was significantly affected by smoking status, and confirmed an effect of smoking on the radiation response of the four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) gene using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The performance of our previously defined 74-gene signature in predicting the radiation dose to samples in this study was unaffected by differences in gender or smoking status, however, giving 98% correct prediction of dose category. This is the same accuracy as that found in the original study from which the signature was derived, using different donors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the development of peripheral blood gene expression as a viable strategy for radiation biodosimetry.
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Sunirmal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Amundson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins