Metabolic Biomarkers To Detect Exposure To Gamma Radiation
Background:
The National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Metabolism is seeking
statements of capability or interest from parties interested in
collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or
commercialize the development of biomarkers for radiation exposure
and cell damage.
Technology:
Gamma radiation has both short-term and long-term adverse health
effects including cancer. Currently, there are no non-invasive
means for radiation exposure assessment in research animals or
humans.
Metabolomics is a rapidly advancing field that uses small-molecule
metabolite profiles in order to study various cellular processes.
Application of metabolomic technologies to the understanding of
physiology, toxicology, and disease progression has led to
appreciable advances by defining novel drug and carcinogen
metabolites, as well as biomarkers of disease.
The inventors have recently identified various molecules in mouse
urine that are present at statistically significantly higher
concentrations after exposure to gamma radiation at doses of 3 Gy
and higher. These markers include 2'-deoxyxanthosine,
xanthosine, 2'-deoxyuridine, 2'-deoxycytidine, N-hexanoylglycine,
-thymidine, 3-hydroxy-2-methylbenzoic acid 3-O-sulfate, xanthine,
and taurine. This invention has potential application in
'radiation metabolomics', the application of metabolomic analysis
to the field of radiobiology in order to gain a better
understanding of cellular responses to stressors such as
radiation.
Further R&D
Needed:
- Further investigation of time course and dose-response
relationships
- Conduct radiation experiments with female mice and with
different strains of mice
- Test biomarkers in studies involving human subjects
R&D Status: Pre-clinical
discovery
IP Status:
U.S. Patent Application No. 12/121,208 filed 15 May 2008
Value Proposition:
- Development of a non-invasive means to assess radiation
exposure
- Ability to use 'radiation metabolomics' to study cellular
responses to radiation.
Contact Information:
John D. Hewes, Ph.D.
NCI Technology Transfer Center
Tel: 301-435-3121
Email: hewesj@mail.nih.gov
Please reference advertisement #698
Update 10/06/2008