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@ARTICLE{Abend:1010512,
author = {Abend, M. and Amundson, S. A. and Badie, C. and Kriehuber,
R. and Lacombe, J. and Lopez-Riego, M. and Lumniczky, K. and
Endesfelder, D. and O'Brien, G. and Doucha-Senf, S. and
Ghandhi, S. A. and Hargitai, R. and Kis, E. and Lundholm, L.
and Oskamp, D. and Ostheim, P. and Schwanke, D. and Shuryak,
I. and Siebenwith, C. and Unverricht-Yeboah, M. and Wojcik,
A. and Zenhausern, F. and Port, M.},
title = {{RENEB} {I}nter-{L}aboratory {C}omparison 2021: {T}he
{G}ene {E}xpression {A}ssay},
journal = {Radiation research},
volume = {199},
number = {6},
issn = {0033-7587},
address = {Great Falls, Va.},
publisher = {Radiation Research Society},
reportid = {FZJ-2023-03095},
pages = {598-615},
year = {2023},
abstract = {Early and high-throughput individual dose estimates are
essential following large-scale radiation exposure events.
In the context of the Running the European Network for
Biodosimetry and Physical Dosimetry (RENEB) 2021 exercise,
gene expression assays were conducted and their
corresponding performance for dose-assessment is presented
in this publication. Three blinded, coded whole blood
samples from healthy donors were exposed to 0, 1.2 and 3.5
Gy X-ray doses (240 kVp, 1 Gy/min) using the X-ray source
Yxlon. These exposures correspond to clinically relevant
groups of unexposed, low dose (no severe acute health
effects expected) and high dose exposed individuals
(requiring early intensive medical health care). Samples
were sent to eight teams for dose estimation and
identification of clinically relevant groups. For
quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
(qRT-PCR) and microarray analyses, samples were lysed,
stored at 20°C and shipped on wet ice. RNA isolations and
assays were run in each laboratory according to locally
established protocols. The time-to-result for both rough
early and more precise later reports has been documented
where possible. Accuracy of dose estimates was calculated as
the difference between estimated and reference doses for all
doses (summed absolute difference, SAD) and by determining
the number of correctly reported dose estimates that were
defined as ±0.5 Gy for reference doses <2.5 Gy and ±1.0 Gy
for reference doses >3 Gy, as recommended for triage
dosimetry. We also examined the allocation of dose estimates
to clinically/diagnostically relevant exposure groups.
Altogether, 105 dose estimates were reported by the eight
teams, and the earliest report times on dose categories and
estimates were 5 h and 9 h, respectively. The coefficient of
variation for $85\%$ of all 436 qRT-PCR measurements did not
exceed $10\%.$ One team reported dose estimates that
systematically deviated several-fold from reported dose
estimates, and these outliers were excluded from further
analysis. Teams employing a combination of several genes
generated about two-times lower median SADs (0.8 Gy)
compared to dose estimates based on single genes only (1.7
Gy). When considering the uncertainty intervals for triage
dosimetry, dose estimates of all teams together were
correctly reported in $100\%$ of the 0 Gy, $50\%$ of the 1.2
Gy and $50\%$ of the 3.5 Gy exposed samples. The order of
dose estimates (from lowest to highest) corresponding to
three dose categories (unexposed, low dose and highest
exposure) were correctly reported by all teams and all
chosen genes or gene combinations. Furthermore, if teams
reported no exposure or an exposure >3.5 Gy, it was always
correctly allocated to the unexposed and the highly exposed
group, while low exposed (1.2 Gy) samples sometimes could
not be discriminated from highly (3.5 Gy) exposed samples.
All teams used FDXR and $78.1\%$ of correct dose estimates
used FDXR as one of the predictors. Still, the accuracy of
reported dose estimates based on FDXR differed considerably
among teams with one team's SAD (0.5 Gy) being comparable to
the dose accuracy employing a combination of genes. Using
the workflow of this reference team, we performed additional
experiments after the exercise on residual RNA and cDNA sent
by six teams to the reference team. All samples were
processed similarly with the intention to improve the
accuracy of dose estimates when employing the same workflow.
Re-evaluated dose estimates improved for half of the samples
and worsened for the others. In conclusion, this
inter-laboratory comparison exercise enabled (1)
identification of technical problems and corrections in
preparations for future events, (2) confirmed the early and
high-throughput capabilities of gene expression, (3)
emphasized different biodosimetry approaches using either
only FDXR or a gene combination, (4) indicated some
improvements in dose estimation with FDXR when employing a
similar methodology, which requires further research for the
final conclusion and (5) underlined the applicability of
gene expression for identification of unexposed and highly
exposed samples, supporting medical management in
radiological or nuclear scenarios},
cin = {S-US},
ddc = {530},
cid = {I:(DE-Juel1)S-US-20090406},
pnm = {899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-899},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {37057982},
UT = {WOS:001004143500007},
doi = {10.1667/RADE-22-00206.1},
url = {https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/1010512},
}