Simulation of DNA damage clustering after proton irradiation using an adapted DBSCAN algorithm.

Area of Science:

• Radiation biology
• Computational biophysics
• Genomics

Background:

• Understanding DNA damage is crucial for radiation protection and cancer therapy.
• Ionizing radiation induces complex DNA damage, including double-strand breaks (DSBs) and single-strand breaks (SSBs).
• Accurate modeling of DNA damage clustering is essential for predicting biological outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm for early-stage DNA damage clustering.
• To analyze the spatial distribution of energy deposits from ionizing particles and its relation to DNA damage probability.
• To determine the ratio of DSBs to SSBs induced by proton irradiation.

Main Methods:

• Adapted the DBSCAN algorithm to incorporate energy deposition distributions and DNA damage probability functions.
• Performed proton track simulations in micrometric volumes representing DNA containment.
• Calculated DNA damage concentration clusters and deduced DSB/SSB ratios for protons ranging from 500 keV to 50 MeV.

Main Results:

• The adapted DBSCAN algorithm successfully identified DNA damage clusters based on energy deposition.
• Calculated DSB/SSB ratios for protons within the specified energy range.
• Results were compared with existing computational models and experimental data from cell irradiations.

Conclusions:

• The adapted DBSCAN algorithm provides a novel approach for analyzing early-stage DNA damage clustering.
• The study offers insights into the mechanisms of DNA damage induction by protons.
• Findings contribute to a better understanding of radiation-induced DNA damage and its biological implications.