Longitudinal multi-omic changes in the transcriptome and proteome of peripheral blood cells after a 4 Gy total body radiation dose to Rhesus macaques.

BACKGROUND: Non-human primates, such as Rhesus macaques, are a powerful model for studies of the cellular and physiological effects of radiation, development of radiation biodosimetry, and for understanding the impact of radiation on human health. Here, we study the effects of 4 Gy total body irradiation (TBI) at the molecular level out to 28 days and at the cytogenetic level out to 56 days after exposure. We combine the global transcriptomic and proteomic responses in peripheral whole blood to assess the impact of acute TBI exposure at extended times post irradiation. RESULTS: The overall mRNA response in the first week reflects a strong inflammatory reaction, infection response with neutrophil and platelet activation. At 1 week, cell cycle arrest and re-entry processes were enriched among mRNA changes, oncogene-induced senescence and MAPK signaling among the proteome changes. Influenza life cycle and infection pathways initiated earlier in mRNA and are reflected among the proteomic changes during the first week. Transcription factor proteins SRC, TGFß and NFATC2 were immediately induced at 1 day after irradiation with increased transcriptional activity as predicted by mRNA changes persisting up to 1 week. Cell counts revealed a mild / moderate hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) reaction to irradiation with expected lymphopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia that resolved within 30 days. Measurements of micronuclei per binucleated cell levels in cytokinesis-blocked T-lymphocytes remained high in the range 0.27-0.33 up to 28 days and declined to 0.1 by day 56. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we show that the TBI 4 Gy dose in NHPs induces many cellular changes that persist up to 1 month after exposure, consistent with damage, death, and repopulation of blood cells.

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics of Nonhuman Primates after 4 Gy Total Body Radiation Exposure: Global Effects and Targeted Panels.

Rapid assessment of radiation signatures in noninvasive biofluids may aid in assigning proper medical treatments for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and delegating limited resources after a nuclear disaster. Metabolomic platforms allow for rapid screening of biofluid signatures and show promise in differentiating radiation quality and time postexposure. Here, we use global metabolomics to differentiate temporal effects (1-60 d) found in nonhuman primate (NHP) urine and serum small molecule signatures after a 4 Gy total body irradiation. Random Forests analysis differentially classifies biofluid signatures according to days post 4 Gy exposure. Eight compounds involved in protein metabolism, fatty acid ß oxidation, DNA base deamination, and general energy metabolism were identified in each urine and serum sample and validated through tandem MS. The greatest perturbations were seen at 1 d in urine and 1-21 d in serum. Furthermore, we developed a targeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method to quantify a six compound panel (hypoxanthine, carnitine, acetylcarnitine, proline, taurine, and citrulline) identified in a previous training cohort at 7 d after a 4 Gy exposure. The highest sensitivity and specificity for classifying exposure at 7 d after a 4 Gy exposure included carnitine and acetylcarnitine in urine and taurine, carnitine, and hypoxanthine in serum. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis using combined compounds show excellent sensitivity and specificity in urine (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.99) and serum (AUC = 0.95). These results highlight the utility of MS platforms to differentiate time postexposure and acquire reliable quantitative biomarker panels for classifying exposed individuals.

Biodistribution of the multidentate hydroxypyridinonate ligand [(14) C]-3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO), a potent actinide decorporation agent.

The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the (14) C-labeled actinide decorporation agent 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) were investigated in young adult Swiss Webster mice and Sprague Dawley rats, after intravenous, intraperitoneal, and oral dose administration. In all routes investigated, the radiolabeled compound was rapidly distributed to various tissues and organs of the body. In mice, the 24 h fecal elimination profiles suggested that the biliary route is the predominant route of elimination. In contrast, lower fecal excretion levels were observed in rats. Tissue uptake and retention of the compound did not differ significantly between sexes although some differences were observed in the excretion patterns over time. The male mice eliminated a greater percentage of (14) C through the renal pathway than the female mice after receiving an intravenous or intraperitoneal dose, while the opposite trend was seen in rats that received an intravenous dose. Metabolite profiling performed on selected rat samples demonstrated that a putative major metabolite of [(14) C]-3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) is formed, accounting for approximately 10% of an administered oral dose. Finally, to improve its oral bioavailability, 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) was coformulated with a proprietary permeability enhancer, leading to a notable increase in oral bioavailability of the compound.

Delayed effects of radiation exposure in a C57L/J mouse model of partial body irradiation with ~2.5% bone marrow shielding.

Introduction: Mouse models of radiation injury are critical to the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against radiation. Now that MCMs against hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) have achieved regulatory approval, attention is shifting to develop MCMs against the adverse effects of gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome (GI-ARS) and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). The C57L/J mouse model of partial body irradiation (PBI) with 2.5% bone marrow shielding (BM2.5) is being leveraged to examine both GI-ARS and DEARE effects. Within days of PBI, mice may develop H- and GI-ARS followed several months later by DEARE as a multi-organ injury, which typically involves the lung and kidney (L- and K-DEARE, respectively). The objective of this manuscript is to describe the dose response relationship and progression of radiation injury in the C57L/J mouse and to evaluate its suitability for use in DEARE MCM testing. Materials and methods: In two separate studies conducted over 2 years, male and female C57L/J mice were exposed to PBI BM2.5 with one hindlimb shielded from radiation, representing ~2.5% bone marrow shielding/sparing. Mice were X-ray irradiated at doses ranging from 9 to 13 Gy at 10 to 12 weeks of age for the purposes of assessing ARS survival at 30 days and DEARE survival at 182 days post-irradiation. Clinical indicators of ARS and DEARE were determined by clinical observations, body weights, hematology, clinical chemistry, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lung, and histopathology of selected tissues. Results: C57L/J mice developed canonical ARS responses of hematopoietic atrophy and gastrointestinal injury resulting in dose dependent mortality at doses ≥11 Gy between 1- and 15-days post-irradiation. In animals that survived ARS, DEARE associated mortality occurred in dose dependent fashion at ≥9 Gy for both sexes between 60- and 159-days post-irradiation with histopathology examinations indicating lung injury as the primary cause of death in moribund animals. Conclusion: The PBI BM2.5 C57L/J mouse model reliably produced known H- and GI-ARS effects at doses greater than those resulting in DEARE effects. Because of this, the C57L/J mouse can be used to test MCMs against L-DEARE injury, while avoiding ARS associated mortality.

Epithelial Responses in Radiation-Induced Lung Injury (RILI) Allow Chronic Inflammation and Fibrogenesis.

Radiation models, such as whole thorax lung irradiation (WTLI) or partial-body irradiation (PBI) with bone-marrow sparing, have shown that affected lung tissue displays a continual progression of injury, often for months after the initial insult. Undoubtably, a variety of resident and infiltrating cell types either contribute to or fail to resolve this type of progressive injury, which in lung tissue, often develops into lethal and irreversible radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF), indicating a failure of the lung to return to a homeostatic state. Resident pulmonary epithelium, which are present at the time of irradiation and persist long after the initial insult, play a key role in the maintenance of homeostatic conditions in the lung and have often been described as contributing to the progression of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI). In this study, we took an unbiased approach through RNA sequencing to determine the in vivo response of the lung epithelium in the progression of RIPF. In our methodology, we isolated CD326+ epithelium from the lungs of 12.5 Gy WTLI C57BL/6J female mice (aged 8-10 weeks and sacrificed at regular intervals) and compared irradiated and non-irradiated CD326+ cells and whole lung tissue. We subsequently verified our findings by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Transcripts associated with epithelial regulation of immune responses and fibroblast activation were significantly reduced in irradiated animals at 4 weeks postirradiation. Additionally, alveolar type-2 epithelial cells (AEC2) appeared to be significantly reduced in number at 4 weeks and thereafter based on the diminished expression of pro-surfactant protein C (pro-SPC). This change is associated with a reduction of Cd200 and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), which are expressed within the CD326 populations of cells and function to suppress macrophage and fibroblast activation under steady-state conditions, respectively. These data indicate that either preventing epithelial cell loss that occurs after irradiation or replacing important mediators of immune and fibroblast activity produced by the epithelium are potentially important strategies for preventing or treating this unique injury.

Epithelial Responses in Radiation-Induced Lung Injury (RILI) Allow Chronic Inflammation and Fibrogenesis.

Radiation models, such as whole thorax lung irradiation (WTLI) or partial-body irradiation (PBI) with bone-marrow sparing, have shown that affected lung tissue displays a continual progression of injury, often for months after the initial insult. Undoubtably, a variety of resident and infiltrating cell types either contribute to or fail to resolve this type of progressive injury, which in lung tissue, often develops into lethal and irreversible radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF), indicating a failure of the lung to return to a homeostatic state. Resident pulmonary epithelium, which are present at the time of irradiation and persist long after the initial insult, play a key role in the maintenance of homeostatic conditions in the lung and have often been described as contributing to the progression of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI). In this study, we took an unbiased approach through RNA sequencing to determine the in vivo response of the lung epithelium in the progression of RIPF. In our methodology, we isolated CD326+ epithelium from the lungs of 12.5 Gy WTLI C57BL/6J female mice (aged 8-10 weeks and sacrificed at regular intervals) and compared irradiated and non-irradiated CD326+ cells and whole lung tissue. We subsequently verified our findings by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Transcripts associated with epithelial regulation of immune responses and fibroblast activation were significantly reduced in irradiated animals at 4 weeks postirradiation. Additionally, alveolar type-2 epithelial cells (AEC2) appeared to be significantly reduced in number at 4 weeks and thereafter based on the diminished expression of pro-surfactant protein C (pro-SPC). This change is associated with a reduction of Cd200 and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), which are expressed within the CD326 populations of cells and function to suppress macrophage and fibroblast activation under steady-state conditions, respectively. These data indicate that either preventing epithelial cell loss that occurs after irradiation or replacing important mediators of immune and fibroblast activity produced by the epithelium are potentially important strategies for preventing or treating this unique injury.

The progression of radiation injury in a Wistar rat model of partial body irradiation with ∼5% bone marrow shielding.

PURPOSE: To describe the dose response relationship and natural history of radiation injury in the Wistar rat and its suitability for use in medical countermeasures (MCM) testing. MATERIALS & METHODS: In two separate studies, male and female rats were exposed to partial body irradiation (PBI) with 5% bone marrow sparing. Animals were X-ray irradiated from 7 to 12 Gy at 7-10 weeks of age. Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) survival at 30 days and delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) survival at 182 days were assessed. Radiation effects were determined by clinical observations, body weights, hematology, clinical chemistry, magnetic resonance imaging of lung, whole-body plethysmography, and histopathology. RESULTS: Rats developed canonical ARS responses of hematopoietic atrophy and gastrointestinal injury resulting in mortality at doses ≥8Gy in males and ≥8.5 Gy in females. DEARE mortality occurred at doses ≥8Gy for both sexes. Findings indicate lung, kidney, and/or liver injury, and persistent hematological dysregulation, revealing multi-organ injury as a DEARE. CONCLUSION: The Wistar rat PBI model is suitable for testing MCMs against hematopoietic and gastrointestinal ARS. DEARE multi-organ injury occurred in both sexes irradiated with 8-9Gy, also suggesting suitability for polypharmacy studies addressing the combination of ARS and DEARE injury.

Survival and Hematologic Benefits of Romiplostim After Acute Radiation Exposure Supported FDA Approval Under the Animal Rule.

PURPOSE: Patients exposed to acute high doses of ionizing radiation are susceptible to dose-dependent bone marrow depression with resultant pancytopenia. Romiplostim (RP; Nplate) is a recombinant thrombopoietin receptor agonist protein that promotes progenitor megakaryocyte proliferation and platelet production and is an approved treatment for patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. The goal of our study was to evaluate the postirradiation survival and hematologic benefits of a single dose of RP with or without pegfilgrastim (PF; Neulasta, granulocyte colony stimulating factor) by conducting a well-controlled, treatment-concealed, good laboratory practice-compliant study in rhesus macaques that was compliant with the United States Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule regulatory approval pathway. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Irradiated male and female rhesus macaques (20/sex in each of 3 groups: control, RP, and RP + PF) were subcutaneously administered vehicle or RP (5 mg/kg, 10 mL/kg) on day 1 in the presence or absence of 2 doses of PF (0.3 mg/kg, 0.03 mL/kg, days 1 and 8). Total body radiation (680 cGy, 50 cGy/min from cobalt-60 gamma ray source) occurred 24 ± 2 hours previously at a dose targeting 70% lethality for the control cohort over 60 days. The study examined 60-day survival postirradiation as the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included incidence, severity, and duration of thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, other hematology parameters, coagulation parameters, and body weight change to provide insights into potential mechanisms of action. RESULTS: Compared with sham-treated controls, treated animals demonstrated a 40% to 55% survival benefit compared with controls, less severe clinical signs, reduced incidence of thrombocytopenia and/or neutropenia, earlier hematologic recovery, and reduced morbidity from bacterial infection. CONCLUSIONS: These results were pivotal in obtaining Food and Drug Administration approval in January 2021 for RP's new indication as a single administration therapy to increase survival in adults and pediatric patients acutely exposed to myelosuppressive doses of radiation.

Galactic cosmic ray simulation at the NASA space radiation laboratory - Progress, challenges and recommendations on mixed-field effects.

For missions beyond low Earth orbit to the moon or Mars, space explorers will encounter a complex radiation field composed of various ion species with a broad range of energies. Such missions pose significant radiation protection challenges that need to be solved in order to minimize exposures and associated health risks. An innovative galactic cosmic ray simulator (GCRsim) was recently developed at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The GCRsim technology is intended to represent major components of the space radiation environment in a ground analog laboratory setting where it can be used to improve understanding of biological risks and serve as a testbed for countermeasure development and validation. The current GCRsim consists of 33 energetic ion beams that collectively simulate the primary and secondary GCR field encountered by humans in space over the broad range of particle types, energies, and linear energy transfer (LET) of interest to health effects. A virtual workshop was held in December 2020 to assess the status of the NASA baseline GCRsim. Workshop attendees examined various aspects of simulator design, with a particular emphasis on beam selection strategies. Experimental results, modeling approaches, areas of consensus, and questions of concern were also discussed in detail. This report includes a summary of the GCRsim workshop and a description of the current status of the GCRsim. This information is important for future advancements and applications in space radiobiology.

Comparison of Proteomic Expression Profiles after Radiation Exposure across Four Different Species.

There is a need to identify biomarkers of radiation exposure for use in development of circulating biodosimeters for radiation exposure and for clinical use as markers of radiation injury. Most research approaches for biomarker discovery rely on a single animal model. The current study sought to take advantage of a novel aptamer-based proteomic assay which has been validated for use in many species to characterize changes to the blood proteome after total-body irradiation (TBI) across four different mammalian species including humans. Plasma was collected from C57BL6 mice, Sinclair minipigs, and Rhesus non-human primates (NHPs) receiving a single dose of TBI at a range of 3.3 Gy to 4.22 Gy at 24 h postirradiation. NHP and minipig models were irradiated using a 60Co source at a dose rate of 0.6 Gy/min, the C57BL6 mouse model using an X-ray source at a dose rate of 2.28 Gy/min and clinical samples from a photon source at 10 cGy/min. Plasma was collected from human patients receiving a single dose of 2 Gy TBI collected 6 h postirradiation. Plasma was screened using the aptamer-based SomaLogic SomaScan® proteomic assay technology to evaluate changes in the expression of 1,310 protein analytes. Confirmatory analysis of protein expression of biomarker HIST1H1C, was completed using plasma from C57BL6 mice receiving a 2, 3.5 or 8 Gy TBI collected at days 1, 3, and 7 postirradiation by singleplex ELISA. Summary of key pathways with altered expression after radiation exposure across all four mammalian species was determined using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Detectable values were obtained for all 1,310 proteins in all samples included in the SomaScan assay. A subset panel of protein biomarkers which demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) changes in expression of at least 1.3-fold after radiation exposure were characterized for each species. IPA of significantly altered proteins yielded a variety of top disease and biofunction pathways across species with the organismal injury and abnormalities pathway held in common for all four species. The HIST1H1C protein was shown to be radiation responsive within the human, NHP and murine species within the SomaScan dataset and was shown to demonstrate dose dependent upregulation at 2, 3.5 and 8 Gy at 24 h postirradiation in a separate murine cohort by ELISA. The SomaScan proteomics platform is a useful screening tool to evaluate changes in biomarker expression across multiple mammalian species. In our study, we were able to identify a novel biomarker of radiation exposure, HIST1H1C, and characterize panels of radiation responsive proteins and functional proteomic pathways altered by radiation exposure across murine, minipig, NHP and human species. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of using a multispecies approach for biomarker discovery.

Breaking the limit: Biological countermeasures for space radiation exposure to enable long-duration spaceflight.

Concerns over the health effects of space radiation exposure currently limit the duration of deep-space travel. Effective biological countermeasures could allow humanity to break this limit, facilitating human exploration and sustained presence on the Moon, Mars, or elsewhere in the Solar System. In this issue, we present a collection of 20 articles, each providing perspectives or data relevant to the implementation of a countermeasure discovery and development program. Topics include agency and drug developer perspectives, the prospects for repurposing of existing drugs or other agents, and the potential for adoption of new technologies, high-throughput screening, novel animal or microphysiological models, and alternative ground-based radiation sources. Long-term goals of a countermeasures program include reduction in the risk of radiation-exposure induced cancer death to an acceptable level and reduction in risks to the brain, cardiovascular system, and other organs.

Heavy-Ion-Induced Lung Tumors: Dose- & LET-Dependence.

There is a limited published literature reporting dose-dependent data for in vivo tumorigenesis prevalence in different organs of various rodent models after exposure to low, single doses of charged particle beams. The goal of this study is to reduce uncertainties in estimating particle-radiation-induced risk of lung tumorigenesis for manned travel into deep space by improving our understanding of the high-LET-dependent dose-response from exposure to individual ion beams after low particle doses (0.03-0.80 Gy). Female CB6F1 mice were irradiated with low single doses of either oxygen, silicon, titanium, or iron ions at various energies to cover a range of dose-averaged LET values from 0.2-193 keV/µm, using 137Cs γ-rays as the reference radiation. Sham-treated controls were included in each individual experiment totally 398 animals across the 5 studies reported. Based on power calculations, between 40-156 mice were included in each of the treatment groups. Tumor prevalence at 16 months after radiation exposure was determined and compared to the age-matched, sham-treated animals. Results indicate that lung tumor prevalence is non-linear as a function of dose with suggestions of threshold doses depending on the LET of the beams. Histopathological evaluations of the tumors showed that the majority of tumors were benign bronchioloalveolar adenomas with occasional carcinomas or lymphosarcomas which may have resulted from metastases from other sites.

Total body irradiation models in NHPs - consideration of animal sex and provision of supportive care to advance model development.

PURPOSE: Harmonized animal models are an indispensable tool for the development of safe and effective medical countermeasures (MCMs) against radiation injury, and rhesus macaques (referred herein as NHPs) play a critical role in FDA approval of radiation medical countermeasures for acute and delayed radiation syndromes. Reliance on such models requires that they be well characterized, which consists, in part, of a reproducible dose to mortality response relationship (DRR). However, data describing the DRR for both male and female NHPs from the same study are scarce. Furthermore, the level of supportive care and the use of blood transfusions may shift the DRR, yet such information can be difficult to compare across publications. To address these knowledge gaps, the DRRs of two different NHP total body irradiation (TBI) models are compared in this paper, one which is reliant on the use of male animals provided blood transfusions, and the other which incorporates both sexes wherein animals are not provided transfusions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies were conducted using NHPs (Macacca mulatta) receiving TBI, with survival reported over a 60 days. Two primary studies, incorporating both male and female animals not receiving blood transfusions as a provision of supportive care, were compared to two previously published studies, which incorporated only male animals provided blood transfusions as a part of the supportive care regimen. Criterion for euthanasia, and all other provisions of supportive care were comparable. Linear probit plots estimating the lethal dose (LD) and upper and lower limits of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90% mortality, were compared between individual studies and the two models presented. RESULTS: Comparison of probit estimates reveals two important findings. (1) Females have higher mortality than males at identical radiation doses, and (2) blood transfusions increased survival of male animals at lower doses but not at high doses of radiation exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The use of single sex animal models may lead to an incomplete understanding of potential sex differences in the dose to mortality response of the TBI model. Consistent use of both sexes and type of supportive care will improve the transferability and reliability of NHP-TBI models currently in use, assist in the selection of radiation doses for single dose lethality studies, and allow investigators to determine the effectiveness of a particular MCM.

Long-Term Effects of Very Low Dose Particle Radiation on Gene Expression in the Heart: Degenerative Disease Risks.

Compared to low doses of gamma irradiation (γ-IR), high-charge-and-energy (HZE) particle IR may have different biological response thresholds in cardiac tissue at lower doses, and these effects may be IR type and dose dependent. Three- to four-month-old female CB6F1/Hsd mice were exposed once to one of four different doses of the following types of radiation: γ-IR 137Cs (40-160 cGy, 0.662 MeV), 14Si-IR (4-32 cGy, 260 MeV/n), or 22Ti-IR (3-26 cGy, 1 GeV/n). At 16 months post-exposure, animals were sacrificed and hearts were harvested and archived as part of the NASA Space Radiation Tissue Sharing Forum. These heart tissue samples were used in our study for RNA isolation and microarray hybridization. Functional annotation of twofold up/down differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and bioinformatics analyses revealed the following: (i) there were no clear lower IR thresholds for HZE- or γ-IR; (ii) there were 12 common DEGs across all 3 IR types; (iii) these 12 overlapping genes predicted various degrees of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases, cancer, and aging; and (iv) these 12 genes revealed an exclusive non-linear DEG pattern in 14Si- and 22Ti-IR-exposed hearts, whereas two-thirds of γ-IR-exposed hearts revealed a linear pattern of DEGs. Thus, our study may provide experimental evidence of excess relative risk (ERR) quantification of low/very low doses of full-body space-type IR-associated degenerative disease development.

Particle radiation-induced dysregulation of protein homeostasis in primary human and mouse neuronal cells.

Space particle radiations may cause significant damage to proteins and oxidative stress in the cells within the central nervous system and pose a potential health hazard to humans in long-term manned space explorations. Dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system as evidenced by abnormal accumulation of polyubiquitin (pUb) chain linkages has been implicated in several age-related neurodegenerative disorders by mechanisms that may involve the inter-neuronal spread of toxic misfolded proteins, the induction of chronic neuroinflammation, or the inappropriate inhibition or activation of key enzymes, which could lead to dysfunction in, for example, proteolysis, or the accumulation of post-translationally-modified substrates.In this study, we employed a quantitative proteomics method to evaluate the impact of particle-radiation induced alterations in three major pUb-linked chains at lysine residues Lys-48 (K-48), Lys-63 (K-63), and Lys-11 (K-11), and probed for global proteomic changes in mouse and human neural cells that were irradiated with low doses of 250 MeV proton, 260 MeV/u silicon or 1 GeV/u iron ions. We found significant accumulation in K-48 linkage after 1 Gy protons and K-63 linkage after 0.5 Gy iron ions in human neural cells. Cells derived from different regions of the mouse brain (cortex, striatum and mesencephalon) showed differential sensitivity to particle radiation exposure. Although none of the linkages were altered after proton exposure, both K-48 and K-63 linkages in mouse striatal neuronal cells were elevated after 0.5 Gy of silicon or iron ions. Changes were also seen in proteins commonly used as markers of neural progenitor and stem cells, in DNA binding/damage repair and cellular redox pathways. In contrast, no significant changes were observed at the same time point after proton irradiation. These results suggest that the quality of the particle radiation plays a key role in the level, linkage and cell type specificity of protein homeostasis in key populations of neuronal cells.

Development of a point-of-care radiation biodosimeter: studies using novel protein biomarker panels in non-human primates.

Purpose: There is a need to rapidly triage individuals for absorbed radiation dose following a significant nuclear event. Since most exposed individuals will not have physical dosimeters, we are developing a method to assess exposure dose based on the analysis of a specific panel of blood proteins that can be easily obtained from a fingerstick blood sample.Materials and methods: In three large non-human primate (NHP) studies, animals were exposed to single acute total body doses of x-ray or gamma radiation. A total of 895 blood samples were obtained at baseline and for 7 days after exposure, to evaluate the temporal progression of markers in each of 10 animals (5M/5F) in six dose groups receiving 0-10 Gy. We used tandem mass spectrometry and immunoassay techniques to identify radiation-responsive proteins in blood plasma samples.Results: A blood protein biomarker panel was developed based on analysis of blood plasma samples obtained from several irradiation studies in NHPs that aimed to simulate acute radiation injury in humans from a nuclear exposure event. Panels of several subsets of proteins were shown to accurately classify plasma samples into two exposure groups either above or below a critical dose threshold with sensitivities and specificities exceeding 90%.Conclusion: This study lays the groundwork for developing a radiation biodosimetry triage tool. Our results in NHPs must be compared with those in human patients undergoing radiotherapy to determine if the biomarker panel proteins exhibit a similar radiation response and allow adequate classification power in humans.

Romiplostim (Nplate®) as an effective radiation countermeasure to improve survival and platelet recovery in mice.

Purpose: Rapid depletion of white blood cells, platelets, and reticulocytes are hallmarks of hematopoietic injury of acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) and, if left untreated, can lead to severe health consequences including death. While the granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) filgrastim (Neupogen®), pegfilgrastim (Neulasta®), and sargramostim (Leukine®) are approved to increase survival in patients exposed to a myelosuppressive dose of radiation, no medical countermeasure is currently available for treatment of the thrombocytopenia that also results following radiation exposure. Romiplostim (Nplate®), a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, is the first FDA-approved thrombopoiesis-stimulating protein for the treatment of low platelet (PLT) counts in adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Herein, we present the results of an analysis in mice of romiplostim as a medical countermeasure to improve survival and PLT recovery following acute radiation.Materials and methods: Male and female C57BL/6J mice (11 - 12 weeks of age, n = 21/sex/group) were total body irradiated (TBI) with 6.8 Gy X-rays that reduces 30-day survival to 30% (LD70/30). Vehicle, romiplostim, and/or pegfilgrastim were administered subcutaneously beginning 24 h after TBI for 1-5 days. Evaluation parameters included 30-day survival, pharmacokinetics, and hematology.Results: Full or maximal efficacy with an ∼40% increase in survival was achieved after a single 30 µg/kg dose of romiplostim. No further survival benefit was seen with higher (100 µg/kg) or more frequent dosing (3 or 5 once daily doses at 30 µg/kg) of romiplostim or combined treatment with pegfilgrastim. Pharmacodynamic analysis revealed that the platelet nadir was not as low and recovery was faster in the irradiated mice treated with romiplostim when compared with irradiated control animals (Day 8 versus 10 nadir; Day 22 versus 29 recovery to near baseline). Platelet volume also increased more rapidly after romiplostim injection. Kinetic profiles of other hematology parameters were similar between TBI romiplostim-treated and control mice. Peak serum levels of romiplostim in TBI mice occurred 4 - 24 h (Tmax) after injection with a t1/2 of ∼24 h. Cmax values were at ∼6 ng/ml after 30 µg/kg ± TBI and ∼200 ng/ml after 300 µg/kg. A 10-fold higher romiplostim dose increased the AUClast values by ∼35-fold.Conclusion: A single injection of romiplostim administered 24 h after TBI is a promising radiation medical countermeasure that dramatically increased survival, with or without pegfilgrastim, and hastened PLT recovery in mice.

Development of a biodosimeter for radiation triage using novel blood protein biomarker panels in humans and non-human primates.

Purpose: In a significant nuclear event, hundreds of thousands of individuals will require rapid triage for absorbed radiation to ensure effective medical treatment and efficient use of medical resources. We are developing a rapid screening method to assess whether an individual received an absorbed dose of ≥2 Gy based on the analysis of a specific panel of blood proteins in a fingerstick blood sample.Materials and methods: We studied a data set of 1051 human blood samples obtained from radiotherapy patients, normal healthy individuals, and several special population groups. We compared the findings in humans with those from irradiation studies in non-human primates (NHPs).Results: We identified a panel of three protein biomarkers, salivary alpha amylase (AMY1), Flt3 ligand (FLT3L), and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1), which are upregulated in human patients receiving fractionated doses of total body irradiation (TBI) therapy as a treatment for cancer. These proteins exhibited a similar radiation response in NHPs after single acute or fractionated doses of ionizing radiation.Conclusion: Our work provides confidence in this biomarker panel for biodosimetry triage using fingerstick blood samples and in the use of NHPs as a model for irradiated humans.

Pharmacodynamics of romiplostim alone and in combination with pegfilgrastim on acute radiation-induced thrombocytopenia and neutropenia in non-human primates.

Purpose: Evaluation of the pharmacodynamics (PD) and pharmacokinetics (PK) of romiplostim alone and in combination with pegfilgrastim in a non-human primate (NHP) model of acute radiation syndrome (ARS).Materials and methods: Male and female rhesus macaques were subjected to Cobalt-60 γ irradiation, at a dose of 550 cGy 24 h prior to subcutaneous administration of either romiplostim alone as a single (2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg on Day 1) or repeat dose (5.0 mg/kg on Days 1 and 8), pegfilgrastim alone as a repeat dose (0.3 µg/kg on Day 1 and 8), or a combination of both agents (romiplostim 5.0 mg/kg on Day 1; pegfilgrastim 0.3 µg/kg on Days 1 and 8). Clinical outcome, hematological parameters and PK were assessed throughout the 45 d study period post-irradiation.Results: Administration of romiplostim, pegfilgrastim or the combination of both resulted in significant improvements in hematological parameters, notably prevention of severe thrombocytopenia, compared with irradiated, vehicle control-treated NHPs. The largest hematologic benefit was observed when romiplostim and pegfilgrastim were administered as a combination therapy with much greater effects on both platelet and neutrophil recovery following irradiation compared to single agents alone.Conclusions: These results indicate that romiplostim alone or in combination with pegfilgrastim is effective at improving hematological parameters in an NHP model of ARS. This study supports further study of romiplostim as a medical countermeasure to improve primary hemostasis and survival in ARS.

Simulating galactic cosmic ray effects: Synergy modeling of murine tumor prevalence after exposure to two one-ion beams in rapid sequence.

Health risks from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) in space travel above low earth orbit remain a concern. For many years accelerator experiments investigating space radiation induced prevalence of murine Harderian gland (HG) tumorigenesis have been performed to help estimate GCR risks. Most studies used acute, relatively low fluence, exposures. Results on a broad spectrum of individual ions and linear energy transfers (LETs) have become available. However, in space, the crew are exposed simultaneously to many different GCR. Recent upgrades at the Brookhaven NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) now allow mixtures in the form of different one-ion beams delivered in rapid sequence. This paper uses the results of three two-ion mixture experiments to illustrate conceptual, mathematical, computational, and statistical aspects of synergy analyses and also acts as an interim report on the mixture experiments' results. The results were interpreted using the following: (a) accumulated data from HG one-ion accelerator experiments; (b) incremental effect additivity synergy theory rather than simple effect additivity synergy theory; (c) parsimonious models for one-ion dose-effect relations; and (d), computer-implemented numerical methods encapsulated in freely available open source customized software. The main conclusions are the following. As yet, the murine HG tumorigenesis experimental studies show synergy in only one case out of three. Moreover, some theoretical arguments suggest GCR-simulating mixed beams are not likely to be synergistic. However, more studies relevant to possible synergy are needed by various groups that are studying various endpoints. Especially important is the possibility of synergy among high-LET radiations, since individual high-LET ions have large relative biological effectiveness for many endpoints. Selected terminology, symbols, and abbreviations. DER - dose-effect relation; E(d) - DER of a one-ion beam, where d is dose; HG prevalence p - in this paper, p is the number of mice with at least one Harderian gland tumor divided by the number of mice that are at risk of developing Harderian gland tumors (so that in this paper prevalence p can never, conceptually speaking, be greater than 1); IEA - incremental effect additivity synergy theory; synergy level - a specification, exemplified in Fig. 5, of how clear-cut an observed synergy is; mixmix principle - a consistency condition on a synergy theory which insures that the synergy theory treats mixtures of agent mixtures in a mathematically self-consistent way; NTE - non-targeted effect(s); NSNA - neither synergy nor antagonism; SEA - simple effect additivity synergy theory; TE - targeted effect(s); ß* - ion speed relative to the speed of light, with 0 < ß* < 1; SLI - swift light ion(s).