Serum-Based Proteomic Approach to Identify Clinical Biomarkers of Radiation Exposure

Forty radiation-modulated proteins (RMPs), 24 upregulated and 16 downregulated, with a fold change ≥1.5 and <i>p</i>-value < 0.05 were identified. About 40% of the RMPs are involved in acute phase response, DNA repair, and inflammation; the key RMPs were <i>ADCY1</i>, <i>HGF</i>, <i>MCEMP1</i>, <i>CHD4</i>, <i>RECQL5</i>, <i>MSH6</i>, and <i>ZNF224.</i> Conclusions: This study identifies a panel of serum proteins that may reflect the radiation response, providing a valuable molecular fingerprint of IR exposure and paving the way for the development of sensitive and specific biomarkers for early detection and clinical management of IR-related injuries.