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Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy for the Quantitative Assessment of Acute Ionizing Radiation Induced Skin Toxicity Using a Mouse Model
Published on: May 27, 2016
Wound trauma alters ionizing radiation dose assessment
Juliann G Kiang1, Bradley R Garrison, True M Burns
1Radiation Combined Injury Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20889-5603, USA. Juliann.Kiang@usuhs.edu.
Cell & Bioscience
|June 13, 2012
Summary
Wounding worsens outcomes after radiation exposure, complicating dose assessment. Identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets for radiation combined injury is crucial for reducing mortality.
Area of Science:
- Radiation biology
- Immunology
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Whole-body irradiation combined with wounding (radiation combined injury, RCI) increases mortality.
- Wounding exacerbates RCI by altering cytokine homeostasis and increasing infection susceptibility.
- Cytokines and other biomarkers are used for radiation biodosimetry, but wounding complicates these assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the confounding effects of wounding on radiation dose assessment.
- To identify early and intermediate biomarkers for RCI.
- To evaluate clinical signs and outcomes following RCI.
Main Methods:
- Mice were exposed to 60Co γ-photon radiation followed by skin wounding.
- Analyzed DNA damage (γ-H2AX, survivin), hematology, cytokine profiles (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF), and clinical signs.
- Evaluated biomarkers at early (1 day) and intermediate (7-10 days) time points post-RCI.
Main Results:
- Wound trauma exacerbated radiation-induced mortality, weight loss, and impaired wound healing.
- Early biomarkers showed decreased survivin in bone marrow, increased γ-H2AX in bone marrow, elevated cytokines in blood, and decreased immune cells in peripheral blood.
- Intermediate biomarkers indicated persistent elevated cytokines and reduced γ-H2AX in PBMCs, with poor survival and wound healing observed at 30 days.
Conclusions:
- Wounding significantly alters ionizing radiation dose assessment.
- Targeting wound-induced responses may offer therapeutic benefits for RCI.
- Further research is needed to develop effective treatments for RCI to reduce mortality.
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