Radiation‐induced cataracts

Abstract

SummaryThe radiosensitive nature of the lens has been increasingly reported, although the exact mechanistic details of the radiation response pathways for cataractogenesis are unclear. Radiation‐induced DNA damage and the subsequent impairment of repair pathways within the lens epithelium are involved. Here, two distinct regions of the murine lens epithelium have been analysed for their differences in double strand break (DSB) repair responses to ionising radiation. The responses of epithelial cells located at the anterior pole (central region) have been compared to those in other locations, including the proliferative compartment, and including the very periphery of the monolayer (peripheral region). Described here are the responses between the two regions, across four strains, over a low dose (0–25 mGy) X‐irradiation range up to 24 hours. Damage visualised through biomarker 53BP1 staining was present across the epithelium, repair kinetics appear non‐uniform. Epithelial cells in the central region have significantly more 53BP1 positive foci. In this study, BALB/c were identified as the most suitable strain for low dose ionising radiation exposure investigation.