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Radiation-hormesis phenotypes, the related mechanisms and implications for disease prevention and therapy

  • Research Article
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Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling Aims and scope

Abstract

Humans are continuously exposed to ionizing radiation throughout life from natural sources that include cosmic, solar, and terrestrial. Much harsher natural radiation and chemical environments existed during our planet’s early years. Mammals survived the harsher environments via evolutionarily-conserved gifts ̶ a continuously evolving system of stress-induced natural protective measures (i.e., activated natural protection [ANP]). The current protective system is differentially activated by stochastic (i.e., variable) low-radiation-dose thresholds and when optimally activated in mammals includes antioxidants, DNA damage repair, p53-related apoptosis of severely-damaged cells, reactive-oxygen-species (ROS)/reactive-nitrogen-species (RNS)- and cytokine-regulated auxiliary apoptosis that selectively removes aberrant cells (e.g., precancerous cells), suppression of disease promoting inflammation, and immunity against cancer cells. The intercellular-signaling-based protective system is regulated at least in part via epigenetic reprogramming of adaptive-response genes. When the system is optimally activated, it protects against cancer and some other diseases, thereby leading to hormetic phenotypes (e.g., reduced disease incidence to below the baseline level; reduced pain from inflammation-related problems). Here, some expressed radiation hormesis phenotypes and related mechanisms are discussed along with their implications for disease prevention and therapy.

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Abbreviations

ADCC :

antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

ANP :

activated natural protection

B[a]P :

benzo[a]pyrene

BPDE :

benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide

CAF :

cancer-associated fibroblasts

CCL2 :

chmokine system CC ligand 2

CCR2 :

receptor CC 2

CIA :

collagen-induced arthritis

CLF1 :

cytokine-like factor 1

CNTFR :

ciliary neurotropic factor receptor

DNA :

deoxyribonucleic acid

epiactivation :

epigenetic activation

epiregulated :

epigenetically regulated

epicellcom :

epigenetically regulated cell community wide

epireprogramming :

epigenetic reprogramming

episilencing :

epigenetically silencing

γ-GCS :

γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase

GPx :

glutathione peroxidase

GR :

glutathione reductase

GSH :

reduced glutathione

HBEC :

human bronchial epithelial cells

HRR :

hormetic relative risk

IFN-γ :

interferon-gamma

IL-6 :

interleukin-6

IL-6R :

interleukin-6 receptor

p53 :

tumor protein

LET :

linear energy transfer

MC :

methylcholanthrene

MC4R :

melanocortin 4 receptor

miRNA :

microRNA

NK :

natural killer

PAM :

protective-apoptosis-mediated

OVA :

ovalbumin

RNS :

reactive nitrogen species

ROS :

reactive oxygen species

SiRNA :

small interfering RNA

SOD :

superoxide dismutase

SPF :

specific pathogen free

STAT 3 :

signal transducer and activator of transcription 3

TGF-β :

transforming growth factor β

TNF-α :

tumor necrosis factor alpha

Tregs :

regulatory T cells

TRX :

thioredoxin

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Acknowledgments

The preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by the Office of Science (BER), U.S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-09ER64783 and in part by Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. The paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor Howard Ducoff who made numerous important contributions to radiation hormesis research through his work with insects as well as through the work of those he mentored during his life, including the author of this paper. The author (BRS) is a founder member of Scientists for Accurate Radiation Information (SARI; www.radiationeffects.org), a group that includes several authors of radiation hormesis publications. The author confirms independence from the sponsors; the content of the article has not been influenced by the sponsors.

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    Bobby R. Scott

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Scott, B.R. Radiation-hormesis phenotypes, the related mechanisms and implications for disease prevention and therapy. J. Cell Commun. Signal. 8, 341–352 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12079-014-0250-x

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