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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing for Assessment of DNA Methylation at Base Pair Resolution
Published on: February 24, 2015
Effects of ionizing radiation on DNA methylation: from experimental biology to clinical applications
Isabelle R Miousse1, Kristy R Kutanzi1, Igor Koturbash1
1a Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health , University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , Little Rock , AR , USA.
Purpose:
Ionizing radiation (IR) is a ubiquitous environmental stressor with genotoxic and epigenotoxic capabilities. Terrestrial IR, predominantly a low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, is being widely utilized in medicine, as well as in multiple industrial applications. Additionally, an interest in understanding the effects of high-LET irradiation is emerging due to the potential of exposure during space missions and the growing utilization of high-LET radiation in medicine.
Conclusions:
In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the effects of IR on DNA methylation, a key epigenetic mechanism regulating the expression of genetic information. We discuss global, repetitive elements and gene-specific DNA methylation in light of exposure to high and low doses of high- or low-LET IR, fractionated IR exposure, and bystander effects. Finally, we describe the mechanisms of IR-induced alterations to DNA methylation and discuss ways in which that understanding can be applied clinically, including utilization of DNA methylation as a predictor of response to radiotherapy and in the manipulation of DNA methylation patterns for tumor radiosensitization.
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