Radiation exposure from a nuclear accident or potential terrorist attack can cause death from acute injury or from late effects of radiation. Studies of the survivors of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima reveal that many radiation-induced deaths occurred years after the exposure. Some medical treatments are available or are under development to treat the acute radiation syndrome. Because radiation causes apoptosis of some cell types, blocking apoptosis may limit acute radiation injury. In contrast, no effective countermeasures exist to mitigate the late effects of radiation exposure. Furthermore, it is not clear how interventions that prevent the acute radiation syndrome, such as blocking radiation-induced apoptosis, may alter the spectrum of late effects years after radiation exposure. For example, it is conceivable that blocking apoptosis to limit acute injury could inadvertently increase late morbidity and mortality from radiation. In this proposal, we will use sophisticated mouse genetics to dissect the mechanisms of radiation-induced carcinogenesis and vascular injury following a single exposure to radiation. Moreover, we will determine the long-term sequellae of blocking radiation-induced apoptosis. The ultimate objective of these studies will be to provide a foundation of pre-clinical data to develop safe and effective medical products to prevent acute and late effects of radiation. In this proposal we will use mouse genetics to determine whether temporary inhibition of p53 or the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis exacerbates late effects of radiation such as radiation-induced cancers and vascular injury. These in vivo studies will provide a mechanistic foundation for the design of safe and effective countermeasures against radiation that do not inadvertently increase late effects of radiation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01AI080488-02S1
Application #
8068565
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-TP-I (M1))
Program Officer
Dicarlo-Cohen, Andrea L
Project Start
2010-06-01
Project End
2011-05-31
Budget Start
2010-06-01
Budget End
2011-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$59,966
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Radiation-Diagnostic/Oncology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Lee, Chang-Lung; Castle, Katherine D; Moding, Everett J et al. (2015) Acute DNA damage activates the tumour suppressor p53 to promote radiation-induced lymphoma. Nat Commun 6:8477
Van Mater, David; Añó, Leonor; Blum, Jordan M et al. (2015) Acute tissue injury activates satellite cells and promotes sarcoma formation via the HGF/c-MET signaling pathway. Cancer Res 75:605-14
Lee, Chang-Lung; Lento, William E; Castle, Katherine D et al. (2014) Inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3 mitigates the hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome in mice. Radiat Res 181:445-51
Lee, Chang-Lung; Min, Hooney; Befera, Nicholas et al. (2014) Assessing cardiac injury in mice with dual energy-microCT, 4D-microCT, and microSPECT imaging after partial heart irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 88:686-93
Moding, Everett J; Clark, Darin P; Qi, Yi et al. (2013) Dual-energy micro-computed tomography imaging of radiation-induced vascular changes in primary mouse sarcomas. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 85:1353-9
Lee, Chang-Lung; Blum, Jordan M; Kirsch, David G (2013) Role of p53 in regulating tissue response to radiation by mechanisms independent of apoptosis. Transl Cancer Res 2:412-421
Lee, Chang-Lung; Moding, Everett J; Cuneo, Kyle C et al. (2012) p53 functions in endothelial cells to prevent radiation-induced myocardial injury in mice. Sci Signal 5:ra52
Kirsch, David G (2011) Using genetically engineered mice for radiation research. Radiat Res 176:275-9