Transcription factors as potential markers of carcinogenic effects of chronic exposure. Review

Chronic human exposure to ionizing radiation causes mainly damage to red bone marrow cells, that primarily affects T-cell part of the immunity. Increased incidence of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases in the affected people has been registered during long time. Mechanisms of the late radiation-induced immunity changes have not been sufficiently studied. Pathophysiological mechanisms of late effects of chronic exposure are unknown. The paper reviews the latest information on some transcription factors, among them NF-κB, JNK, Р38 and other, involved in cellular response to ionizing radiation. The main transcription factors, such as STAT3, GATA3, T-BOX, FOXР3, RORС and other, control T-lymphocytes differentiation. Location of some transcription factors and short description of their functions are given in the paper. The latest methods of the transcription factors research have been summarized, their advantages and disadvantages have been analyzed. Radiation effects on cells are mainly realized through stress-adaptive mechanism, this makes difficult to study cells response to ionizing radiation and mechanisms of the effects realization, especially delayed effects. Complex research of intracellular signal pathway in relation to genetic and receptor cells apparatus (Т-lymphocytes, performing regulatory functions, and cells effectors of antitumor immunity) will allow the future researches to find out mechanisms of late effects of ionizing radiation chronic exposure to a human, primarily carcinogenic effects.