Instability of microsatellites in radiation-associated thyroid tumours with short latency periods

Abstract

Early, fast-growing and aggressive post-Chernobyl thyroid tumours are characterized by an increase in microsatellite instability.

Microsatellite instability in radiation-induced murine tumours; influence of tumour type and radiation quality

“…Many of these patients had karyotype abnormalities and/or a cancer prone background and the contribution of X-irradiation alone was not assessed (e.g., Ben-Yehuda et al 1996). Studies of MSI in human thyroid tumours arising after radiation exposure following the Chernobyl accident have been inconclusive, largely due to the lack of availability of comparable control samples (Nikiforov et al 1998, Richter et al 1999, Lohrer et al 2001). Mouse studies have provided a range of tumour types in mice with characterised genetic backgrounds which have been induced by high and low Linear Energy Transfer (LET) radiations of pre-determined dose and quality with concurrent controls where they exist; here the MSI phenotype of such tumours is examined and reported.…”

“…Several studies of MSI in radiation-induced post-Chernobyl thyroid carcinomas (Nikiforov et al 1998, Richter et al 1999, Lohrer et al 2001 concluded that no association could be made with radiation exposure. Fewer data are available from mouse radiation tumourigenesis studies; however, MSI was infrequent in acute myeloid leukaemias induced in mice by X-rays (Fennelly et al 1997).…”

Obituary: Prof. Dr. Albrecht M. Kellerer (1935–2022)

“…In addition to childhood leukemia, also childhood thyroid cancer was among his main scientific interests. He generously supported my own studies and academic career (HZ) on the relationship between radiation exposure and molecular genetic and cytogenetic changes in childhood thyroid cancer with the aim to unravel molecular mechanisms and to identify radiation-specific molecular markers for an improvement of thyroid cancer risk assessment (Lehmann et al 1996 ; Zitzelsberger et al 1999 ; Smida et al 1999 ; Richter et al 1999 ; Salassidis et al 2000 ; Lohrer et al 2001 ). One of Albrecht Kellerer’s major achievements in this field was to build a bridge between epidemiological findings and molecular biological understanding of radiation-induced carcinogenesis.…”

Annex A

“…However, in general accord with the results of animal studies, the human data developed since 1990 do not suggest that radiation tumorigenesis proceeds in an unusual fashion; evidence for the presence of specific mutational signatures of radiation is currently lacking. The involvement of induced ICRP Publication 103 genomic instability in radiation tumorigenesis has been found to be lacking or is viewed as controversial (Nakanishi et al, 2001, Cox and Edwards, 2002, Lohrer et al, 2001).…”