The German Uranium Miners’ Biobank—A Biobank for OMICs Radiation Research

Maria Gomolka,Lukas Duchrow,Dirk Taeger,Beate Hochstrat,Martin Bucher,Simone Moertl,Georg Johnen

doi:10.3390/radiation2010005

Abstract

Systematic bio- and databanks are key prerequisites for modern radiation research to investigate radiation response mechanisms in the context of genetic, environmental and lifestyle-associated factors. This report presents the current status of the German Uranium Miners’ Biobank. In 2008, the bio- and databank was established at the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, and the sampling of biological materials from former uranium miners with and without lung cancer was initiated. For this purpose, various biological specimens, such as DNA and RNA, were isolated from blood samples as well as from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung tissue. High-quality biomaterials suitable for OMICs research and the associated data on occupational radiation and dust exposure, and medical and lifestyle data from over 1000 individuals have been stored so far. Various experimental data, e.g., genome-wide SNPs, whole genome transcriptomic and miRNA data, as well as individual chromosomal aberration data from subgroups of biobank samples, are already available upon request for in-depth research on radiation-induced long-term effects, individual radiation susceptibility to lung cancer and radon-induced fingerprints in lung cancer. This biobank is the first systematic uranium miners´ biobank worldwide that is suitable for OMICs research on radiation-exposed workers. It offers the opportunity to link radiation-induced perturbations of biological pathways or processes and putative adverse outcome(s) by OMICs profiling at different biological organization levels.

Highlights

SilverSilver mining mining existed existed since since the the 12th12th century century in in the thesouth southof ofEastern EasternGermanyGermany in inthe the FederalState of Saxony andThuringia (Figure 1) [1,2]
It allows researchers to investigate the effects of occupational radiation, dust exposure and lifestyle on genetic, biochemical and possibly metabolic factors associated with adverse health effects
The biological materials associated with the available exposure assessments, lifestyle and health data are a powerful tool for addressing important research questions in radiation science, such as the risk of low doses for organs other than lungs, individual genetic susceptibility to radon-induced lung cancer, long-term radiation-induced biological effects and their associated adverse health effects other than lung cancer, the combined effects of co-carcinogenic lung exposure such as radiation and arsenic dust, potential radon-specific fingerprints in lung cancer tissue depending on tumor subtype

Summary

Introduction

Introduction SilverSilver mining mining existed existed since since the the 12th12th century century in in the thesouth southof ofEastern EasternGermanyGermany in inthe the FederalState of Saxony andThuringia (Figure 1) [1,2].

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Conclusion