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July 18, 2019 – Scientists have discovered that low doses of radiation equivalent to three CTs, considered safe, give cancer cells a competitive advantage over normal cells in normal tissues. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge have studied the effects of low doses of radiation in the esophagus of mice.
The team discovered that low doses of radiation increased the number of mutated cells in p53, a well-known genetic change badociated with cancer. However, giving the mice an antioxidant before radiation promotes the growth of healthy cells, which have supplanted and replaced the mutant p53 cells.
The results, published July 18 in Cell Stem Cell, show that low doses of radiation promote the spread of cancer cells in healthy tissue. The researchers recommend that this risk be taken into account in the badessment of radiological safety. The study also offers the opportunity to develop non-toxic preventive measures to reduce the risk of developing cancer by enhancing the ability of our healthy cells to surpbad and eradicate cells with carcinogenic potential.
Every day we are exposed to various sources of ionizing radiation, including natural radiation in the soil and rocks, and to important medical procedures such as CT scans and X-rays.
Low doses of radiation, such as medical imaging exposure, are considered safe because they cause little damage to DNA and apparently have a minimal effect on long-term health. Until now, other effects of exposure to low levels of radiation remained hidden, which meant that it was difficult to understand the real risk badociated with low doses of radiation.
Researchers have already shown that our normal tissues, like the skin, are battlefields where mutant cells compete for healthy cells. We all have cancerous mutant cells in healthy tissues, including those with p53 mutations, the number of which increases with age, but very few of them eventually become cancerous.
In this new study, researchers have shown that low doses of radiation weigh in favor of cancerous mutant cells in the esophagus. Researchers at the Sanger Institute and their collaborators administered mice with a radiation dose of 50 milligrams, equivalent to three or four CT scans. As a result, the p53 mutant cells propagated and supplanted the healthy cells.
David Fernandez-Antoran, Ph.D., first author of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said, "Our bodies are a set of" Clone Game "- a continuous battle to get a space between normal cells and mutant cells. show that even at low dose radiation, similar to that of three CT scanners, may weigh in favor of mutant cells capable of cancer.We have discovered an additional potential cancer risk due to radiation recognition. "
The researchers then administered to the mice an over-the-counter antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), before exposing them to the same level of radiation. The team discovered that the antioxidant gave normal cells the boost needed to defeat and eradicate p53 mutant cells.
However, the antioxidant alone without radiation exposure did not help normal cells to fight mutant clones.
Kasumi Murai, Ph.D., author of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said, "Giving mice an antioxidant before exposing them to low doses of radiation has given healthy cells the extra boost they need to fight mutant cells. However, we do not know what effect this treatment would have on other tissues – it could help cancer cells that are able to contract cancer grow stronger elsewhere.What we do know is that Long-term use of antioxidants alone is not effective in preventing cancer – people, according to other studies. "
Professor Phil Jones, lead author of the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the MRC Cancer Unit at the University of Cambridge, said: "Medical imaging procedures using radiation, such as CT scans and X-rays, are Very low risk – it's hard to measure, this research helps us to better understand the effects of low radiation doses and the risks that this may entail – more research is needed to understand the effects on humans. "
The team suggests that this research also highlights the possibility of developing therapies to prevent cancer. By adjusting healthy cells, they naturally eliminate cancer cells without any toxic side effects for the patient.
For more information: www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell
Reference
1. Fernandez-Antoran D., Piedrafita G., Murai K, et al. Overpopulation of p53¬ mutant cells in the normal esophagus by redox manipulation. Cell strain cell, July 18, 2019. DOI: 10.1016 / j.stem.2019.06.011
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