Expression of the senescence marker p16INK4a in skin biopsies of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors: a pilot study

S Marcoux, ONL Le, C Langlois-Pelletier… - Radiation …, 2013 - Springer
S Marcoux, ONL Le, C Langlois-Pelletier, C Laverdière, A Hatami, P Robaey
Radiation oncology, 2013Springer
Background Most childhood cancer survivors will develop ionizing radiation treatment-
related health conditions that, in many instances, resemble age-associated pathologies.
Treatment-induced premature senescence could be an underlying mechanism. Findings
Here we wanted to know whether the expression of p16 INK4a, a senescence/aging
biomarker, is increased in skin biopsies of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors (ALL),
previously exposed to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Several years post-treatments …
Background
Most childhood cancer survivors will develop ionizing radiation treatment-related health conditions that, in many instances, resemble age-associated pathologies. Treatment-induced premature senescence could be an underlying mechanism.
Findings
Here we wanted to know whether the expression of p16INK4a, a senescence/aging biomarker, is increased in skin biopsies of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors (ALL), previously exposed to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Several years post-treatments, we found p16INK4a mRNA levels are 5.8 times higher in scalp skin biopsies (targeted by cranial irradiation therapy) compared to buttocks skin biopsies (n = 10, p = 0.01).
Conclusions
These results demonstrate for the first time that premature senescence is induced in pediatric cancer survivors and that p16INK4a expression could be used as a potential biomarker in this population.
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