title: Mutations of the human interferon alpha-2b (hIFNα-2b) gene in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.
abstract: This research aimed to find out the impact of ionizing radiations on the hIFNα-2b gene of radiotherapy treated cancer patients. The gene hIFNα-2b synthesizes a protein which is an important anticancerous and antiviral protein. The cancer patients (breast, lung, thyroid, oral and prostate) who were undergoing a radiotherapy treatment were selected. A molecular analysis was performed for DNA isolation and gene amplification through PCR, to identify gene mutations. Further, by bioinformatics tools we concluded that how mutations identified in gene sequences have led to the alterations in the hINFα-2b protein in radiotherapy receiving cancer patients. The 32% mutations in the hINFα-2b gene were identified and all were frameshift mutations. Radiotherapy can impact the immune system and cancer patients may modulate their immunity. Understaning the mechanisms of radiotherapy-elicited immune response may be helpful in the development of those therapeutic interventions that can enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES)-Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST) Lahore, Pakistan ; College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of The Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.affiliation: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of The Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Nawaz
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology & Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nasir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahmood
keywords: Interferon (IFN); immunity; ionizing radiations; mutations; radiotherapy