RadExIORSBoost Exploring Individual Radiosensitivity: A Voyage Through RNA and miRNA Universe

Abstract:The main goal of radiation oncology is to deliver the proper dose as precisely as possible to the desired site, to inhibit the division of canceror residual cancer cells, and to induce predominantly apoptotic cell death. Another goal is to spare surrounding non-malignantly transformed tissue (1). In the field of radiobiology that investigates normal tissue radiosensitivity, a wide spectrum of biological and functional tests have emerged as candidates for the prediction of normal tissue radiosensitivity and adverse effects, which may considerably affect patients' quality of life. Adverse effects following prostate cancer (PCa) radiotherapy (RT) include bladder and urinary complications (2), as well as rectal toxicity (3), among others. It has been shown that the transcriptome and miRNome change after radiation exposure, as well as signaling pathways.The most commonly affected biological pathways by radiation exposure are those associated with DNA damage repair, inflammation, oxidative stress, cell regulation, and apoptosis (4).

The Horizon Europe RadExIORSBoost project aims to investigate the biological and molecular background underlying the response to RT in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma. Under Objective 2. RadExIORSBoostproject aims to investigate individual patients’ normal tissue radiosensitivity by combining two major approaches-microRNA and gene expression by RNA sequencing method, and functional assays such as radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis (RILA), radiation-induced DNA damage and DNA repair activity measured bycomet and γ-H2AX assays.