Signatures of radiation response

Abstract

The present invention relates, in general, to gene expression profiles, and in particular, to a peripheral blood gene expression profile of an environmental exposure, ionizing radiation. The invention further relates to methods of screening patients for radiation exposure based on gene expression profiling and to kits suitable for use in such methods.

1 . A method of identifying an individual exposed to irradiation comprising:
 i) obtaining a blood sample from said individual,   ii) isolating mononuclear cells from said blood sample,   iii) extracting RNA from said mononuclear cells,   iv) analyzing said RNA for expression of genes set forth in Table 7, or a subset thereof of at least 5 genes,   wherein an individual that displays the expression profile set forth in Table 7, or said subset thereof, is an individual that has been exposed to radiation.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said individual is a human. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said blood sample is a peripheral blood sample. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said blood sample is obtained within 7 days of exposure of said individual to radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said blood sample is obtained at about 6 hours after exposure of said individual to radiation. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said RNA is analyzed for expression of H200000088, H200008365, H200011577, H200014719, H200016323, H300000421, H300003103, H300010830, H300015667, H300019371, H300020858, H300021118 and H300022025. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said subset comprises at least 10 of said genes set forth in Table 7. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said extracted RNA resulting from step (iii) is amplified. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein step (iv) is effected using a microarray technique. 
     
     
         10 . A kit comprising an array probe of nucleic acids wherein the genes set forth in Table 7, or subset thereof comprising at least 5 genes, are represented. 
     
     
         11 . The kit according to  claim 10  wherein H200000088, H200008365, H200011577, H200014719, H200016323, H300000421, H300003103, H300010830, H300015667, H300019371, H300020858, H300021118 and H300022025 are represented. 
     
     
         12 . A kit comprising primers specific for at least 5 of the genes set forth in Table 7. 
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 12  wherein said kit comprises primers specific for H200000088, H200008365, H200011577, H200014719, H200016323, H300000421, H300003103, H300010830, H300015667, H300019371, H300020858, H300021118 and H300022025. 
     
     
         14 . The kit according to  claim 12  wherein said kit further comprises a NTPs or rNTPs.