Journal
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
Volume 74, Issue 23, Pages 4339-4351Publisher
SPRINGER BASEL AG
DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2581-2
Keywords
Low-dose radiation; Immune system; T cell receptor; Lymphocytes; Hematopoietic stem cells
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Funding
- European Commissions [DoReMi, European Atomic Energy Community's Seventh Framework Program (FP7)] [249689]
- National Science Centre [2013/08/M/ST6/00924, 2015/19/B/ST6/01736]
- GeCONil project [POIG.02.03.01-24-099]
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While the biological effects of high-dose-ionizing radiation on human health are well characterized, the consequences of low-dose radiation exposure remain poorly defined, even though they are of major importance for radiological protection. Lymphocytes are very radiosensitive, and radiation-induced health effects may result from immune cell loss and/or immune system impairment. To decipher the mechanisms of effects of low doses, we analyzed the modulation of the T-cell receptor gene repertoire in mice exposed to a single low (0.1 Gy) or high (1 Gy) dose of radiation. High-throughput T-cell receptor gene profiling was used to visualize T-lymphocyte dynamics over time in control and irradiated mice. Radiation exposure induces aging-like effects on the T-cell receptor gene repertoire, detectable as early as 1 month post-exposure and for at least 6 months. Surprisingly, these effects are more pronounced in animals exposed to 0.1 Gy than to 1 Gy, where partial correction occurs over time. Importantly, we found that low-dose radiation effects are partially due to the hematopoietic stem cell impairment. Collectively, our findings show that acute low-dose radiation exposure specifically results in long-term alterations of the T-lymphocyte repertoire.
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