Effects and mechanism of ultra-high dose rate irradiation in reducing radiation damage to zebrafish embryos
Objective To conduct a comparative analysis of the radiation damage to zebrafish embryos and the associated biological mechanism after ultra-high dose rate(FLASH)and conventional dose rate irradiation.Methods Zebrafish embryos at 4 h post-fertilization were exposed to conventional and FLASH irradiation(9 MeV electron beam).The mortality and hatchability of zebrafish after radiation exposure were recorded.Larvae at 96 h post-irradiation underwent morphological scoring,testing of reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels,and analysis of changes in oxidative stress indicators.Results Electron beam irradiation at doses of 2-12 Gy exerted subtle effects on the mortality and hatchability of zebrafish embryos.However,single high-dose irradiation(≥ 6 Gy)could lead to developmental malformation of larvae,with conventional irradiation showing the most significant effects(t=0.87-9.75,P＜0.05).In contrast,after FLASH irradiation(≥ 6 Gy),the ROS levels in zebrafish and its oxidative stress indicators including superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and malondialdehyde(MDA)were significantly reduced(t=0.42-15.19,P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in ROS levels in incubating solutions after conventional and FLASH irradiation(P＞0.05).Conclusions Compared to conventional irradiation,FLASH irradiation can reduce radiation damage to zebrafish embryos,and this is in a dose-dependent manner.The two irradiation modes lead to different oxidative stress levels in zebrafish,which might be a significant factor in the reduction of radiation damage with FLASH irradiation.
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