Transcriptomics of Wet Skin Biopsies Predict Early Radiation-Induced Hematological Damage in a Mouse Model

Area of Science:

• Radiation biology
• Molecular biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Accurate radiation dosimetry is crucial for managing nuclear incidents.
• Current methods for assessing radiation exposure are often slow and lack precise dosimetric capabilities.
• Transcriptomics offers a potential avenue for rapid and sensitive radiation diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the potential of transcriptomics for radiation diagnosis and prognosis.
• To identify key gene expression patterns following radiation exposure in a mouse model.
• To explore the utility of these patterns for triage and treatment strategies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a mouse radiation model with varying doses (1-20 Gy).
• Collected blood and skin biopsies at multiple time points post-exposure (2 hours to 28 days).
• Performed transcriptomic analysis to identify significantly differentially transcribed genes (SDTGs).

Main Results:

• Identified glycoprotein VI (GP-VI) signaling, dendritic cell maturation, and prothrombin activation pathways as significantly modulated.
• Observed stable pathway inactivation after lethal doses and intermittent activation after sublethal doses.
• Noted modulation of collagen, laminin, and peptidase genes, correlating with hematological and skin damage.

Conclusions:

• Transcriptomic analysis reveals distinct gene expression signatures associated with radiation dose and time.
• These identified pathways and genes provide potential biomarkers for radiation exposure assessment.
• Findings support the development of transcriptomics-based tools for radiation triage and treatment planning.