Transcription profiling of human peripheral blood to development gene expression signatures for practical radiation biodosimetry

To further development of our gene expression approach to biodosimetry we have employed whole genome microarray expression profiling as a discovery platform to identify genes with the potential to distinguish radiation dose across an exposure range relevant for medical decision-making in a radiological emergency. Human peripheral blood from healthy donors was irradiated ex vivo and a 74-gene consensus signature was identified that distinguished between four radiation doses (0.5 2 5 and 8 Gy) and control samples. The same set of genes separated samples by exposure level at both six and 24 hours after treatment with overlap evident only at the highest two doses (5 and 8 Gy). Expression of five genes (CDKN1A FDXR SESN1 BBC3 and PHPT1) from this signature was quantified in the same RNA samples by real-time PCR confirming low variability between donors as well as the predicted radiation response pattern. Experiment Overall Design: Radiation induced gene expression in human blood was measured at 6 and 24 hours after exposure to doses of 0 0.5 2 5 and 8 Gy g-rays. Five independent experiments were performed at each time (6 or 24 hours) using different donors for each experiment