ABSTRACT
One way to study the effect of radiation on gene expression is to monitor changes in the levels of specific messenger RNAs. We describe the use of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, a faster and more sensitive procedure than the traditional techniques to monitor RNA levels. Using RT-PCR, we confirmed previous results showing increased levels of GADD45 transcripts after high dose-rate X-irradiation in normal human fibroblasts. No differences were observed in the transcript levels of beta-ACTIN, beta-MICROGLOBULIN, Cu-Zn SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE (SOD-1) and CATALASE. In cells exposed to 3-6 Gy low dose-rate gamma-irradiation we observed increased levels of the GADD45 transcript and lower transcript levels of the genes TOPOISOMERASE II alpha, FACC, CYCLIN A and CYCLIN B. No differences were detected in the transcript levels of beta-ACTIN, beta-MICROGLOBULIN, SOD-1, URACYL-DNA GLYCOSYLASE, CYCLIN C, CYCLIN E, CYCLIN D1, CYCLIN D2, CYCLIN D3, TOPOISOMERASE I and TOPOISOMERASE II beta.
