Ex-vivo dose response characterization of the recently identified EDA2R gene after low level radiation exposures and comparison with FDXR gene expression and the γH2AX focus assay.

OBJECTIVE:Recently, promising radiation-induced EDA2R gene expression (GE) changes after low level radiation could be shown. Stimulated by that, in this study, we intended to independently validate these findings and to further characterize dose-response relationships in comparison to FDXR and the γH2AX-DNA double-strand break (DSB) focus assay, since both assays are already widely used for biodosimetry purposes. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Peripheral blood samples from six healthy human donors were irradiated ex vivo (dose: ranging from 2.6 to 49.7 mGy). Subsequently, the fold-differences relative to the sham irradiated reference group were calculated. Radiation-induced changes in GE of FDXREDA2RRESULTS:A significant increase in EDA2RppFDXRppFDXREDA2REDA2RCONCLUSION:Higher radiation-induced EDA2R GE changes and a lower radiation detection level compared to RIF-fd and FDXR