Radiation metabolomics in the quest of cardiotoxicity biomarkers: the review

Abstract

Purpose: Ionizing radiation is a risk factor to the whole organism, including the heart. Cardiac damage is considered to be a late effect of radiation exposure. While the acute cardiotoxicity of high doses is well characterized, the knowledge about nature and magnitude of the cardiac risk following lower doses exposure is incomplete. It has been shown that the cardiotoxic effects of radiation are source-, dose- and time-dependent. This paper provides an overview on these dependencies with regard to the molecular responses at the cellular and tissue levels. Main focus is put on the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based and Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomic approaches in search of toxicity markers of relatively small doses of radiation.

Conclusions: Available literature indicates that radiation exposure affects metabolites associated with: energy production, degradation of proteins and cell membranes, expression of proteins and stress response. Such effects are common for both animal and human studies. However, the specific metabolic response depends on several factors, including the examined organ. Radiation metabolomics can be used to explain the mechanisms of development of radiation-induced heart disease and to find an organ-specific biomarker of radiation exposure. The main aim of this review was to collect the information on the human cardiotoxicity biomarkers. In addition it also summarizes results of the studies on the metabolic responses to ionizing radiation for other organs, as well as the comparative data concerning animal studies.

Keywords:

• Ionizing radiation
• cardiotoxicity
• metabolomics
• biomarkers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Centre [Grant 2015/17/N/NZ7/04101].

Notes on contributors

Michalina Gramatyka

Michalina Gramatyka is a research scientist and a PhD student in Biophysics Laboratory in Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Center and Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch. She received a Master’s degree in biotechnology at the Silesian University of Technology. At present, her research focuses on the understanding of the mechanisms of adverse impact of low doses of ionizing radiation on the cardiovascular system.

Maria Sokół

Professor Maria Sokół is Head of the Department of Medical Physics and Head of the Biophysics Laboratory in Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Center and Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch. She is a physicists and a specialist in medical physics. Her scientific interests include in particular the application of NMR spectroscopy in medical practice, including metabolic research.