Role of Telomere Length in Radiation Response of Hematopoietic Stem & Progenitor Cells in Newborns

Abstract

Objective

Wide inter-individual variations in ionizing radiation (IR) responses of neonatal hematopoietic system calls for identifying reliable biomarkers to effectively estimate radiation exposure damages in neonates.

Methods

Association between telomere length (TL) at birth and radiation sensitivity of cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) from 166 healthy newborns were investigated by assessing their clonogenic differentiation. TL was determined as terminal restriction fragment (TRF) by Southern blot method.

Results

TL correlated with surviving fractions of total progenitor colony forming cell (CFC) content at 0.75 Gy (p < 0.05), granulo-macrophagic lineage colony forming units (CFU-GM) at 0.75 Gy (p < 0.05) and erythroid burst forming unit (BFU-E) at 0.75 Gy (p < 0.05) & at 3 Gy (p < 0.05) of newborns.

Conclusion

Our results indicate risks for HSC clonogenic survival in neonates with shorter telomeres after IR exposure. These observations might aid in considering TL at birth as an assessment factor for radiation related hematopoietic challenges in children.

Keywords:

• Hematopoietic stem cells
• ionizing radiation
• telomere length
• colony forming units
• myeloid progenitors

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the mothers for donating cord blood for this study and especially acknowledge the generous help provided by late Dr. Purvita Dam along with other staffs and professionals at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata. The authors also express gratitude to Dr. Abhijit Saha at UGC-DAE (University Grant Commission-Department of Atomic Energy) CSR (Centre for Scientific Research), Kolkata Centre for his constant help and technical guidance in irradiation experimentations with Cobalt 60 gamma irradiator (Model: GC1200, BRIT- Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, India). Angshuman Biswas and Mandar Bhattacharya received research assistantship from TEQIP -II (Technical Education Quality Improvement Program), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal. The study was supported financially by TEQIP -II (Technical Education Quality Improvement Program), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal and Department of Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal (Formerly known as West Bengal University of Technology, WBUT).

Disclosure statement

The authors thereby declare to have no conflicts of interest with any individual or institution.

Additional information

Funding

Technical Education Quality Improvement Program;