TY - JOUR A1 - Eberlein, Uta A1 - Peper, Michel A1 - Fernández, Maria A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Scherthan, Harry T1 - Calibration of the \(\gamma\)-H2AX DNA double strand break focus assay for internal radiation exposure of blood lymphocytes JF - PLoS ONE N2 - DNA double strand break (DSB) formation induced by ionizing radiation exposure is indicated by the DSB biomarkers \(\gamma\)-H2AX and 53BP1. Knowledge about DSB foci formation in-vitro after internal irradiation of whole blood samples with radionuclides in solution will help us to gain detailed insights about dose-response relationships in patients after molecular radiotherapy (MRT). Therefore, we studied the induction of radiation-induced co-localizing \(\gamma\)-H2AX and 53BP1 foci as surrogate markers for DSBs in-vitro, and correlated the obtained foci per cell values with the in-vitro absorbed doses to the blood for the two most frequently used radionuclides in MRT (I-131 and Lu-177). This approach led to an in-vitro calibration curve. Overall, 55 blood samples of three healthy volunteers were analyzed. For each experiment several vials containing a mixture of whole blood and radioactive solutions with different concentrations of isotonic NaCl-diluted radionuclides with known activities were prepared. Leukocytes were recovered by density centrifugation after incubation and constant blending for 1 h at 37°C. After ethanol fixation they were subjected to two-color immunofluorescence staining and the average frequencies of the co-localizing \(\gamma\)-H2AX and 53BP1 foci/nucleus were determined using a fluorescence microscope equipped with a red/green double band pass filter. The exact activity was determined in parallel in each blood sample by calibrated germanium detector measurements. The absorbed dose rates to the blood per nuclear disintegrations occurring in 1 ml of blood were calculated for both isotopes by a Monte Carlo simulation. The measured blood doses in our samples ranged from 6 to 95 mGy. A linear relationship was found between the number of DSB-marking foci/nucleus and the absorbed dose to the blood for both radionuclides studied. There were only minor nuclide-specific intra-and inter-subject deviations. KW - in vivo formation KW - chromatin mobility KW - phosphorylation KW - repair KW - 53BP1 KW - damage KW - radioiodine therapy KW - thyroid cancer KW - histone H2AX KW - dose response Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-148697 VL - 10 IS - 4 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schuhmann, Sarah A1 - Eberlein, Uta A1 - Müller, Jessica A1 - Scherthan, Harry A1 - Lassmann, Michael T1 - Correlation of the absorbed dose to the blood and DNA damage in leukocytes after internal ex-vivo irradiation of blood samples with Ra-224 JF - EJNMMI Research N2 - Background: Irradiation with α-particles creates densely packed damage tracks along particle trajectories in exposed cells, including complex DNA damage and closely spaced double-strand breaks (DSBs) in hit nuclei. Here, we investigated the correlation of the absorbed dose to the blood and the number of α-induced DNA damage tracks elicited in human blood leukocytes after ex-vivo in-solution exposure with Ra-224. The aim was to compare the data to previously published data on Ra-223 and to investigate differences in DNA damage induction between the two radium isotopes. Results: Blood samples from three healthy volunteers were exposed ex-vivo to six different concentrations of Ra-224 dichloride. Absorbed doses to the blood were calculated assuming local energy deposition of all α- and β-particles of the Ra-224 decay chain, ranging from 0 to 127 mGy. γ-H2AX + 53BP1 DNA damage co-staining and analysis was performed on ethanol-fixed leukocytes isolated from the irradiated blood samples. For damage quantification, α-induced DNA damage tracks and small γ-H2AX + 53BP1 DSB foci were enumerated in the exposed leukocytes. This revealed a linear relationship between the frequency of α-induced γ-H2AX damage tracks and the absorbed dose to the blood, while the frequency of small γ-H2AX + 53BP1 DSB foci indicative of β-irradiation was similar to baseline values. Conclusions: Our data provide a first estimation of the DNA damage induced by Ra-224 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A comparison with our previously published Ra-223 data suggests that there is no difference in the induction of radiation-induced DNA damage between the two radium isotopes due to their similar decay properties. KW - 53BP1 KW - DNA damage KW - γ-H2AX KW - biological dosimetry KW - absorbed dose to the blood KW - α-emitter KW - Ra-224 Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-176593 VL - 8 IS - 77 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schumann, Sarah A1 - Scherthan, Harry A1 - Frank, Torsten A1 - Lapa, Constantin A1 - Müller, Jessica A1 - Seifert, Simone A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Eberlein, Uta T1 - DNA Damage in Blood Leukocytes of Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing PET/CT Examinations with [\(^{68}\)Ga]Ga-PSMA I&T JF - Cancers N2 - The aim was to investigate the induction and repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) as a function of the absorbed dose to the blood of patients undergoing PET/CT examinations with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA. Blood samples were collected from 15 patients before and at four time points after [68Ga]Ga-PSMA administration, both before and after the PET/CT scan. Absorbed doses to the blood were calculated. In addition, blood samples with/without contrast agent from five volunteers were irradiated ex vivo by CT while measuring the absorbed dose. Leukocytes were isolated, fixed, and stained for co-localizing γ-H2AX+53BP1 DSB foci that were enumerated manually. In vivo, a significant increase in γ-H2AX+53BP1 foci compared to baseline was observed at all time points after administration, although the absorbed dose to the blood by 68Ga was below 4 mGy. Ex vivo, the increase in radiation-induced foci depended on the absorbed dose and the presence of contrast agent, which could have caused a dose enhancement. The CT-dose contribution for the patients was estimated at about 12 mGy using the ex vivo calibration. The additional number of DSB foci induced by CT, however, was comparable to the one induced by 68Ga. The significantly increased foci numbers after [68Ga]Ga-PSMA administration may suggest a possible low-dose hypersensitivity. KW - DNA double-strand breaks KW - γ-H2AX KW - 53BP1 KW - nuclear medicine KW - dosimetry KW - Ga-68 KW - PSMA KW - PET/CT KW - contrast agent KW - prostate cancer Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200585 SN - 2072-6694 VL - 12 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schumann, Sarah A1 - Eberlein, Uta A1 - Muhtadi, Razan A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Scherthan, Harry T1 - DNA damage in leukocytes after internal ex-vivo irradiation of blood with the α-emitter Ra-223 JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Irradiation with high linear energy transfer α-emitters, like the clinically used Ra-223 dichloride, severely damages cells and induces complex DNA damage including closely spaced double-strand breaks (DSBs). As the hematopoietic system is an organ-at-risk for the treatment, knowledge about Ra-223-induced DNA damage in blood leukocytes is highly desirable. Therefore, 36 blood samples from six healthy volunteers were exposed ex-vivo (in solution) to different concentrations of Ra-223. Absorbed doses to the blood were calculated assuming local energy deposition of all α- and β-particles of the decay, ranging from 0 to 142 mGy. γ-H2AX + 53BP1 co-staining and analysis was performed in leukocytes isolated from the irradiated blood samples. For DNA damage quantification, leukocyte samples were screened for occurrence of α-induced DNA damage tracks and small γ-H2AX + 53BP1 DSB foci. This revealed a linear relationship between the frequency of α-induced γ-H2AX damage tracks and the absorbed dose to the blood, while the frequency of small γ-H2AX + 53BP1 DSB foci indicative of β-irradiation was similar to baseline values, being in agreement with a negligible β-contribution (3.7%) to the total absorbed dose to the blood. Our calibration curve will contribute to the biodosimetry of Ra-223-treated patients and early after incorporation of α-emitters. KW - alpha particles KW - blood KW - DNA Breaks KW - double-stranded KW - gamma rays KW - healthy volunteers KW - humans KW - leukocytes KW - radiation effects KW - radium Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-175596 VL - 8 IS - 2286 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scherthan, Harry A1 - Lee, Jin-Ho A1 - Maus, Emanuel A1 - Schumann, Sarah A1 - Muhtadi, Razan A1 - Chojowski, Robert A1 - Port, Matthias A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Bestvater, Felix A1 - Hausmann, Michael T1 - Nanostructure of clustered DNA damage in leukocytes after in-solution irradiation with the alpha emitter Ra-223 JF - Cancers N2 - Background: Cancer patients are increasingly treated with alpha-particle-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. At the subcellular level, alpha particles induce densely spaced ionizations and molecular damage. Induction of DNA lesions, especially clustered DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), threatens a cell's survival. Currently, it is under debate to what extent the spatial topology of the damaged chromatin regions and the repair protein arrangements are contributing. Methods: Super-resolution light microscopy (SMLM) in combination with cluster analysis of single molecule signal-point density regions of DSB repair markers was applied to investigate the nano-structure of DNA damage foci tracks of Ra-223 in-solution irradiated leukocytes. Results: Alpha-damaged chromatin tracks were efficiently outlined by γ-H2AX that formed large (super) foci composed of numerous 60–80 nm-sized nano-foci. Alpha damage tracks contained 60–70% of all γ-H2AX point signals in a nucleus, while less than 30% of 53BP1, MRE11 or p-ATM signals were located inside γ-H2AX damage tracks. MRE11 and p-ATM protein fluorescent tags formed focal nano-clusters of about 20 nm peak size. There were, on average, 12 (±9) MRE11 nanoclusters in a typical γ-H2AX-marked alpha track, suggesting a minimal number of MRE11-processed DSBs per track. Our SMLM data suggest regularly arranged nano-structures during DNA repair in the damaged chromatin domain. KW - complex DNA damage KW - DNA repair KW - high LET irradiation KW - Single Molecule Localization Microscopy (SMLM) KW - DSB focus substructure Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193038 SN - 2072-6694 VL - 11 IS - 12 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Göring, Lukas A1 - Schumann, Sarah A1 - Müller, Jessica A1 - Buck, Andreas K. A1 - Port, Matthias A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Scherthan, Harry A1 - Eberlein, Uta T1 - Repair of a-particle-induced DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after internal ex vivo irradiation with \(^{223}\)Ra JF - European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging N2 - Purpose As α-emitters for radiopharmaceutical therapies are administered systemically by intravenous injection, blood will be irradiated by α-particles that induce clustered DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Here, we investigated the induction and repair of DSB damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as a function of the absorbed dose to the blood following internal ex vivo irradiation with [\(^{223}\)Ra]RaCl2. Methods Blood samples of ten volunteers were irradiated by adding [\(^{223}\)Ra]RaCl2 solution with different activity concentrations resulting in absorbed doses to the blood of 3 mGy, 25 mGy, 50 mGy and 100 mGy. PBMCs were isolated, divided in three parts and either fixed directly (d-samples) or after 4 h or 24 h culture. After immunostaining, the induced γ-H2AX α-tracks were counted. The time-dependent decrease in α-track frequency was described with a model assuming a repair rate R and a fraction of non-repairable damage Q. Results For 25 mGy, 50 mGy and 100 mGy, the numbers of α-tracks were significantly increased compared to baseline at all time points. Compared to the corresponding d-samples, the α-track frequency decreased significantly after 4 h and after 24 h. The repair rates R were (0.24 ± 0.05) h−1 for 25 mGy, (0.16 ± 0.04) h−1 for 50 mGy and (0.13 ± 0.02) h−1 for 100 mGy, suggesting faster repair at lower absorbed doses, while Q-values were similar. Conclusion The results obtained suggest that induction and repair of the DSB damage depend on the absorbed dose to the blood. Repair rates were similar to what has been observed for irradiation with low linear energy transfer. KW - DSB damage KW - irradiation KW - α-Particle KW - γ-H2AX KW - repair Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-324557 VL - 49 IS - 12 ER -