Stress-responsive gene expression changes in cultured human embryonic stem cells following low dose, clinical diagnostic X-ray imaging CT scan procedures

Authors

• MV Sokolov
• R Maass-Moreno
• RD Neumann

Abstract

The molecular mechanisms and pathways elicited by low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) exposures in humans are regrettably far from being fully understood, partly due to the lack of suitable sensitive model systems. We established a novel, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) in vitro model to examine the radiobiological effects in human cells. It is not certain how low (less than 0.1 Gy) doses of IR affect human cells, and which signaling networks and pathways underlie cellular responses to such IR exposures. The apparent controversy of such data is in a marked contrast to societal needs to predict health risks emerging from diagnostic radiation in clinic, natural background radiation, and environmental radiological accident exposures. In our present study, we set out to examine the whole genome gene expression changes in a panel of hESCs following low 0.01 Gy of X-rays CT scan exposures. The responses of hESCs to high 1 Gy dose of IR serve as a positive control. We utilized systems biology approaches, such as DNA microarrays, to elucidate whole genome gene expression alterations in hESCs; and, we examine the magnitude of transcriptional changes in some well-known radiation-responsive set of genes, such as CDKN1A, GADD45A, GDF15, etc. in more focused studies in these cells. The results of our analysis will be presented and discussed.

Scientific Focus Area: Stem Cell Biology

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