Biomolecular signatures of γ-irradiation exposure: Differential cell death pathways and Raman spectral profiles in human epidermal keratinocytes and melanocytes

초록

In this study, to investigate damage-associated biomarkers that can measure gamma-irradiation exposure doses, human epidermal melanocytes (HEMs) and keratinocytes (HEKs) exposed to different gamma-irradiation doses were analyzed using a caesium-137 biological gamma-irradiator and Raman spectrometer. The results showed that as the dose increased, the expression of cell death proteins, such as those involved in apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis, increased in the HEKs. However, only apoptosis-related proteins increased in a dose-dependent manner in the HEMs. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels also increased in the HEMs and the HEKs in response to gamma-irradiation. Raman spectral analysis was used to quantify protein composition changes in the HEKs and the HEMs exposed to gamma-irradiation. These results suggest that the expression levels of various cell death proteins, the level of intracellular ROS, and the changes in cellular membrane components can potentially be used as damage-associated markers for estimating the degree of gamma-irradiation exposure in human skin.

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