Whole-Thorax Irradiation Induces Persistent T Cell Clonal Dysregulation in Pediatric Rhesus Macaques.

The thymus is critical for the development and selection of T cells with a diverse range of non-self-reactive antigen receptors. Both the thymus and circulating T cells can be damaged by acute exposure to ionizing radiation, leading to dose-dependent lymphopenia, a temporarily increased risk of infection that can be life-threatening, and long-term disruptions in T cell homeostasis and function. Currently, there are no biomedical countermeasures available to prevent radiation-induced T cell lymphopenia or other T cell defects caused by radiation.

Multicentered Biospecimen Analyses after 4 Gy Sublethal Total Body Irradiation in Rhesus.

In the event of a large-scale radiological emergency, delivering timely medical aid to individuals receiving potentially lethal doses of radiation will result in improved survival and decreased severity of injuries. While it may be possible to reconstruct a dose estimate based on a location during the event and/or early symptoms presenting after the event, limitations with readily available information and inaccuracy of that estimate may not provide enough certainty for successful medical triage. Thus, individual biodosimetry assessments would assist medical professionals in providing prompt care to those who would benefit the most.

The Impact of Dose, Sex, and Age at Time of Acute Whole-body Radiation Exposure on Long-term Hematopoiesis in Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta).

The hematopoietic system is highly sensitive to ionizing radiation exposure. Accumulating evidence from the Japanese A-bomb survivor cohort and animal studies suggests that radiation-induced damage to the hematopoietic system can persist long after exposure, and therefore has the potential of contributing to delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). In this study, archival data from the non-human primate radiation late effects cohort was analyzed to evaluate long-term effects on the hemopoietic system.

Radiation Decreases Bone Density while Diabetes Increases Osteoarthritis in Non-Human Primates.

Total-body irradiation has long-term effects and may cause joint damage, especially in individuals with diabetes. Lowered bone mineral density and arthropathy related to radiation can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. Monitoring these conditions in humans is challenging, but non-human primate models allow for longitudinal tracking of metabolic and degenerative changes.

Radiation-induced Lung Injury (RILI) in Non-human Primates (NHPs) Induces Cellular Senescence and Upregulation of Tyrosine Kinase Fgr, which is Detectable in Bronchoalveolar Lavage.

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) includes early acute phase radiation pneumonitis (RP), and late chronic phase radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF). There is increasing evidence that ionizing radiation-induced cellular senescence is associated with pulmonary fibrosis. We have recently reported that biomarkers of senescence and, specifically, tyrosine kinase Fgr are induced in mouse RIPF, human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and in human RIPF.