# Using human skin grafted mice to identify biomarkers of exposure and study effects of radiation on skin

> **NIH NIH U01** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $540,530

## Abstract

Summary/Abstract
In the event of a large scale radiologic or nuclear event, the immediate needs are to discriminate exposed
individuals from the worried well and identify individuals at risk for radiation-induced tissue damage. Humans
vary in their sensitivity to radiation-induced tissue injury, the factors that control radiation sensitivity are not fully
understood, and there are no biomarkers to identify individuals at risk for radiation-induced tissue damage. The
skin is an immunologically active barrier tissue that will be impacted by all types of external radiation events.
Skin is visually observable, accessible to non-invasive testing and easily sampled, making it amenable to a
variety of testing modalities. We propose to irradiate and study living, immunologically intact human skin grafts
on immunodeficient NSG mice to identify biomarkers that detect exposure to radiation and predict radiation
induced tissue damage. In Aim 1, we will study the effects of irradiation on adult human skin grafts carried by
NSG mice. We will study DNA damage repair proteins, reactive oxygen species, epithelial barrier function and
gene expression changes in adult human skin grafts exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 5.0 Gy irradiation. We will
identify biomarkers that detect radiation exposure within 24 hours of exposure (Phase I), remain detectable
longer term and/or correlate with later tissue injury (Phase II) and we will validate these biomarkers in a
separate validation cohort of 30 human skin donors (Phase III). In Aim 2, we will study the effects of irradiation
on human neonatal foreskin grafts, a tissue that contains antigen presenting cells but lacks T cells, as a model
for both pediatric and immunocompromised populations. We will test biomarkers identified in Aim 1 for their
ability to detect radiation exposure within 24 hours and to predict tissue injury in neonatal foreskin. If
necessary, we will identify new biomarkers for use in pediatric and immunocompromised populations. In Aim 3,
we will develop rapid point-of-care tests to detect the biomarkers we identify in Aims 1 and 2. The skin is an
accessible tissue that can be studied as a proxy to predict the risk of radiation-induced injury at other tissue
sites. By studying immunologically intact skin from a diverse population of human donors, we will identify
biomarkers that are useful in i) humans, ii) a diverse, outbred population with differing sensitivities to radiation,
and iii) pediatric and immunocompromised populations. Identification of biomarkers that predict subsequent
tissue damage in skin will identify radiation sensitive individuals. Our point-of-care tests have the potential to
rapidly screen potentially exposed populations and identify individuals who are at risk for tissue damage and
will require further medical attention.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9870169
- **Project number:** 1U01AI148306-01
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachael Ann Clark
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $540,530
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-21 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9870169

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9870169, Using human skin grafted mice to identify biomarkers of exposure and study effects of radiation on skin (1U01AI148306-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9870169. Licensed CC0.

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