Radiation exposure causes cancer and non-cancer health effects, each of which differs greatly in the shape of the dose-response curve, latency, persistency, recurrence, curability, fatality and impact on quality of life. In recent decades, for dose limitation purposes, the International Commission on Radiological Protection has divided such diverse effects into tissue reactions (formerly termed non-stochastic and deterministic effects) and stochastic effects. On the one hand, effective dose limits aim to reduce the risks of stochastic effects (cancer/heritable effects) and are based on the detriment-adjusted nominal risk coefficients, assuming a linear-non-threshold dose response and a dose and dose rate effectiveness factor of 2. On the other hand, equivalent dose limits aim to avoid tissue reactions (vision-impairing cataracts and cosmetically unacceptable non-cancer skin changes) and are based on a threshold dose. However, the boundary between these two categories is becoming vague. Thus, we review the changes in radiation effect classification, dose limitation concepts, and the definition of detriment and threshold. Then, the current situation is overviewed focusing on (i) stochastic effects with a threshold, (ii) tissue reactions without a threshold, (iii) target organs/tissues for circulatory disease, (iv) dose levels for limitation of cancer risks vs prevention of non-life-threatening tissue reactions vs prevention of life-threatening tissue reactions, (v) mortality or incidence of thyroid cancer, and (vi) the detriment for tissue reactions. For future discussion, one approach is suggested that classifies radiation effects according to whether effects are life threatening, and radiobiological research needs are also briefly discussed.

A rapidly growing body of experimental evidence indicates that ionizing radiation induces biological effects in non-irradiated bystander cells that h

Tardigrades are known to survive high doses of ionizing radiation. However, there have been no reports about radiation effects in tardigrades under culture conditions. In this study, we investigated tolerance of the tardigrade, Milnesium tardigradum, against gamma-rays and heavy ions by determining short-term or long-term survival, and reproductive ability after irradiation. Hydrated and anhydrobiotic animals were exposed to gamma-rays (1000 - 7000 Gy) or heavy ions (1000 - 8000 Gy) to evaluate short-term survival at 2, 24 and 48 h post-irradiation. Long-term survival and reproduction were observed up to 31 days after irradiation with gamma-rays (1000 - 4000 Gy). At 48 h after irradiation, median lethal doses were 5000 Gy (gamma-rays) and 6200 Gy (heavy ions) in hydrated animals, and 4400 Gy (gamma-rays) and 5200 Gy (heavy ions) in anhydrobiotic ones. Gamma-irradiation shortened average life span in a dose-dependent manner both in hydrated and anhydrobiotic groups. No irradiated animals laid eggs with one exception in which a hydrated animal irradiated with 2000 Gy of gamma-rays laid 3 eggs, and those eggs failed to hatch, whereas eggs produced by non-irradiated animals hatched successfully. M. tardigradum survives high doses of ionizing radiation in both hydrated and anhydrobiotic states, but irradiation with >1000 Gy makes them sterile.

Two members of the proteasome activator, PA28α and PA28β, form a heteropolymer that binds to both ends of the 20S proteasome. Evidence in vitro indicates that this interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ)‐inducible heteropolymer is involved in the processing of intracellular antigens, but its functions in vivo remain elusive. To investigate the role of PA28α/β in vivo , we generated mice deficient in both PA28α and PA28β genes. The ATP‐dependent proteolytic activities were decreased in PA28α−/−/β−/− cells, suggesting that ‘hybrid proteasomes’ are involved in protein degradation. Treatment of PA28α−/−/β−/− cells with IFN‐γ resulted in sufficient induction of the ‘immunoproteasome’. Moreover, splenocytes from PA28α−/−/β−/− mice displayed no apparent defects in processing of ovalbumin. These results are in marked contrast to the previous finding that immunoproteasome assembly and immune responses were impaired in PA28β−/− mice. PA28α−/−/β−/− mice also showed apparently normal immune responses against infection with influenza A virus. However, they almost completely lost the ability to process a melanoma antigen TRP2‐derived peptide. Hence, PA28α/β is not a prerequisite for antigen presentation in general, but plays an essential role for the processing of certain antigens.