Title: Low doses of γ-radiation induce consistent protein expression changes in human leukocytes

Authors: Sara Skiöld; Susanne Becker; Ulf Hellman; Gert Auer; Ingemar Näslund; Mats Harms-Ringdahl; Siamak Haghdoost

Addresses: Centre for Radiation Protection Research, GMT, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Department of Oncology and Pathology, Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Department of Oncology and Pathology, Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Centre for Radiation Protection Research, GMT, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. ' Centre for Radiation Protection Research, GMT, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: Twenty percent of cancer patients experience adverse effects after radiotherapy. The therapeutic doses are adjusted to the most sensitive individuals, resulting in a suboptimal dose for many patients. At present there is no screening system available to predict individual radiosensitivity. The main aim of this study is to investigate differences in protein expression pathways induced by low doses of radiation in whole blood obtained from radiosensitive and non-radiosensitive patients. To address this aim, a protocol for exposure condition, dose and analysis of whole blood was developed. The conditions for handling blood samples were optimised. The optimal doses and post irradiation conditions were determined. We found that 1 mGy and 150 mGy significantly changed protein expression in leukocytes collected from the two donors. The result shows that the protocol developed is suitable for characterisation of proteomic profiles associated with low dose exposure of leukocytes.

Keywords: low dose radiation; oxidative stress; proteomics; whole blood; gamma radiation; low radiation; cancer patients; radiotherapy; screening; radiosensitivity; protein expression pathways; leukocytes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2011.047188

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2011 Vol.8 No.5/6, pp.374 - 387

Published online: 07 Feb 2015 *

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