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Low dose ionizing radiation effects on the immune system

  • Ionizing radiation interacts with the immune system in many ways with a multiplicity that mirrors the complexity of the immune system itself: namely the need to maintain a delicate balance between different compartments, cells and soluble factors that work collectively to protect, maintain, and restore tissue function in the face of severe challenges including radiation damage. The cytotoxic effects of high dose radiation are less relevant after low dose exposure, where subtle quantitative and functional effects predominate that may go unnoticed until late after exposure or after a second challenge reveals or exacerbates the effects. For example, low doses may permanently alter immune fitness and therefore accelerate immune senescence and pave the way for a wide spectrum of possible pathophysiological events, including early-onset of age-related degenerative disorders and cancer. By contrast, the so called low dose radiation therapy displays beneficial, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties in chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases. In this review, epidemiological, clinical and experimental data regarding the effects of low-dose radiation on the homeostasis and functional integrity of immune cells will be discussed, as will be the role of immune-mediated mechanisms in the systemic manifestation of localized exposures such as inflammatory reactions. The central conclusion is that ionizing radiation fundamentally and durably reshapes the immune system. Further, the importance of discovery of immunological pathways for modifying radiation resilience amongst other research directions in this field is implied.

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Metadaten
Author:Katalin Lumniczky, Nathalie Impens, Gemma Armengol, Serge Candéias, Alexandros G. GeorgakilasORCiD, Sabine Hornhardt, Olga A. Martin, Franz RödelORCiDGND, Dörthe Schaue
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-576556
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106212
ISSN:0160-4120
Parent Title (English):Environment International
Publisher:Elsevier
Place of publication:Amsterdam [u.a.]
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2020/12/05
Date of first Publication:2020/12/05
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Release Date:2021/02/17
Tag:DNA damage response; Epidemiological data; Immune system; Inflammation; Low-dose ionizing radiation
Volume:149.2021
Issue:Article 106212
Page Number:22
HeBIS-PPN:47781834X
Institutes:Medizin / Medizin
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Sammlungen:Universitätspublikationen
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - Namensnennung 4.0