Correlation between radiation dose and p53 protein expression levels in human lymphocytes

Area of Science:

• Radiation Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Biophysics

Background:

• p53 protein is a key regulator of cellular responses to DNA damage.
• Understanding p53 dynamics after irradiation is crucial for radiobiology.
• Flow cytometry offers a rapid method for cellular analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between p53 protein levels and absorbed radiation doses in human lymphocytes.
• To explore the potential of p53 expression as a biomarker for radiosensitivity and radiation exposure.

Main Methods:

• Human lymphocytes from 23 donors were irradiated in vitro with doses ranging from 0.5 to 4 Gy using a Cobalt-60 source.
• p53 protein expression in lymphocytes was quantified using Flow Cytometry.
• Subjects were categorized into low, high, and excessive p53 expression groups based on radiation dose.

Main Results:

• p53 expression levels significantly increased with increasing absorbed radiation dose across all groups.
• A linear-quadratic model described the relationship between p53 expression and radiation dose in low and high expression groups.
• The findings suggest a dose-dependent response of p53 in irradiated lymphocytes.

Conclusions:

• p53 protein levels in lymphocytes serve as a reliable indicator of absorbed radiation dose.
• This method can aid in evaluating individual radiosensitivity before radiotherapy.
• The rapid nature of flow cytometry makes this approach valuable for mass casualty radiation incidents and occupational exposure monitoring.