Radiosensitivity in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Purpose: Patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a high incidence of cancer, as well as high levels of genetic damage. We hypothesized that these patients show genomic instability detected as an increased chromosomal radiosensitivity in front of the genetic damage induced by ionizing radiation.

Material and methods: The background levels of genetic damage and the net genetic damage after in vitro irradiation with 0.5 Gy were analyzed using the micronucleus (MN) assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes. A total number of 552 individuals (179 controls and 373 CKD patients) were included in the study.

Results: The net radiation-induced genetic damage was significantly higher in CKD patients than in controls; but no differences between those patients submitted to hemodialysis and those in pre-dialytic stages were detected. A positive correlation was observed between basal and net micronucleus frequencies in CKD patients what would indicate an underlying genetic background modulating DNA damage levels.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that CKD patients present genomic instability, measured as an increased chromosomal radiosensitivity in front of ionizing radiation.

Keywords::

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients
• micronucleus assay
• uremic state
• radiosensitivity

Acknowledgements

First of all we thank all the volunteers that have participated in this study. L. Rodriguez-Ribera and Z. Corredor were supported by postgraduate fellowships from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, and the LASPAU (Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas), Colombia, respectively. The members of the research group belongs to two Consolidated Research Groups (SGR) (2009/SGR-1116 and 2009/SGR-725) and to REDINREN (Spanish Renal Network for Research 16/06 RETICS, Instituto de Investigación Carlos III).

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This investigation has been supported in part by a grant from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI12/02559).