Comparative analysis of whole genome gene expression changes in cultured human embryonic stem cells in response to low, clinical diagnostic relevant, and high doses of ionizing radiation exposures.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 — Poster Session IV
10:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m.	FAES Academic Center	CC	STEMCELL-6

* FARE Award Winner

Authors

• M.V. Sokolov
• V. Nguyen
• R.D. Neumann

Abstract

The underpinning molecular mechanisms and pathways elicited by ionizing radiation (IR) exposures in humans are far from being fully understood, partly due to the lack of suitable model systems. We established a novel, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) culture – based 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 govern cellular responses to low dose IR exposures. The apparent scarcity and 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. To fill critical gaps in knowledge, in our present study, we aimed to elucidate the whole genome gene expression changes in a panel of hESCs following both low 0.05 Gy, and, as a reference, high 1 Gy of IR exposures. We utilized systems biology approaches, such as DNA microarrays, to interrogate whole genome gene expression alterations; and, we examined the dynamics of transcriptional changes in hESCs profiling “early” (2 hr post-IR) and “late” (16 hr) responses. The results of our analysis will be presented and discussed.

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