title: The first gamma-H2AX biodosimetry intercomparison exercise of the developing European biodosimetry network RENEB.
abstract: In the event of a mass casualty radiation incident, the gamma-H2AX foci assay could be a useful tool to estimate radiation doses received by individuals. The rapid processing time of blood samples of just a few hours and the potential for batch processing, enabling high throughput, make the assay ideal for early triage categorisation to separate the 'worried well' from the low and critically exposed by quantifying radiation-induced foci in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Within the RENEB framework, 8 European laboratories have taken part in the first European gamma-H2AX biodosimetry exercise, which consisted of a telescoring comparison of 200 circulated foci images taken from 8 samples, and a comparison of 10 fresh blood lymphocyte samples that were shipped overnight to participating labs 4 or 24 h post-exposure. Despite large variations between laboratories in the dose-response relationship for foci induction, the obtained results indicate that the network should be able to use the gamma-H2AX assay for rapidly identifying the most severely exposed individuals within a cohort who could then be prioritised for accurate chromosome dosimetry.
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, UK stephen.barnard@phe.gov.uk.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, UK.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ainsbury
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-hafidh
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hadjidekova
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hristova
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.affiliation: Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, CTN, Grupo de Protecção e Segurança Radiológica, Bobadela-LRS, Portugal.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Monteiro Gil
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moquet
authors.affiliation: Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rößler
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thierens
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandevoorde
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vral
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Center for Radiobiology and Biological Dosimetry, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wojewódzka
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rothkamm
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005060:Europe; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release
chemical_list: C468783:H2AX protein, human; D006657:Histones