Mitochondrial-Derived Oxidants and Cellular Responses to Low Dose/Low LET Ionizing Radiation

Exposure to ionizing radiation results in the immediate formation of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been assumed that the subsequent injury processes leading to genomic instability and carcinogenesis following radiation, derive from the initial oxidative damage caused by these free radicals and ROS. It is now becoming increasingly obvious that metabolic oxidation/reduction (redox) reactions can be altered by irradiation leading to persistent increases in steady-state levels of intracellular free radicals and ROS that contribute to the long term biological effects of radiation exposure by causing chronic oxidative stress. The objective during the last period of support (DE-FG02-05ER64050; 5/15/05-12/31/09) was to determine the involvement of mitochondrial genetic defects in metabolic oxidative stress and the biological effects of low dose/low LET radiation. Aim 1 was to determine if cells with mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunits C and D (SDHC and SDHD in mitochondrial complex II) demonstrated increases in steady-state levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS; O2•- and H2O2) as well as demonstrating increased sensitivity to low dose/low LET radiation (10 cGy) in cultured mammalian cells. Aim #2 was to determine if mitochondrially-derived ROS contributed to increased sensitivity to low dose/low LET radiation in mammalian cells containing mutations in SDH subunits. Aim #3 was to determine if a causal relationship existed between increases in mitochondrial ROS production, alterations in electron transport chain proteins, and genomic instability in the progeny of irradiated cells. Evidence gathered in the 2005-2009 period of support demonstrated that mutations in genes coding for mitochondrial electron transport chain proteins (ETC); either Succinate Dehydrogenase (SDH) subunit C (SDHC) or subunit D (SDHD); caused increased ROS production, increased genomic instability, and increased sensitivity to low dose/low LET radiation that could be mitigated by over expression of the H2O2 metabolizing enzyme, catalase, and/or the mitochondrial form of superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Furthermore, using radiation-induced genomically unstable cells, it was shown that steady-state levels of H2O2 were significantly elevated for many cell generations following exposure, catalase suppressed the radiation-induced mutator phenotype when added long after radiation exposure, unstable clones showed evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction some of which was characterized by improper assembly of SDH subunits (particularly subunit B), and chemical inhibitors of SDH activity could decrease steady-state levels of H2O2 as well as mutation frequency. These results support the hypotheses that 1) SDH mutations could contribute to transformation by inducing genomic instability and a mutator phenotype via increasing steady-state levels of ROS; 2) metabolic sources of O2•- and H2O2 play a significant role in low dose radiation induced injury and genomic instability; and 3) increased mutation rates in irradiated mammal cells can be suppressed by scavengers of H2O2 (particularly catalase) long after radiation exposure. Overall the results obtained during this period of support provide clear evidence in support of the hypothesis that abnormal oxidative metabolism in mitochondria that result in increases in steady-sate levels of H2O2 and other ROS are capable of significantly contributing to radiation-induced mutator phenotypes in mammalian cells