Editorial: The Genetic and Epigenetic Bases of Cellular Response to Ionizing Radiation.

Keywords: genetic alteration; epigenetic changes; cellular response; ionizing radiation; reactive oxy gen species EN genetic alteration epigenetic changes cellular response ionizing radiation reactive oxy gen species 1 3 3 03/07/22 20220304 NES 220304 Since the discovery of X-ray in 1895, ionizing radiation has been well known to be one of genotoxic stresses which, by direct deposition of energy and by indirect action of reactive oxygen species, can induce a wide spectrum of DNA alterations including structural changes of DNA molecules, sequence mutation, and consequently chromosomal aberrations ([5]; [11]). It can ultimately influence the inheritance of radiation-induced instability, interplaying among the transposon and crucial DNA repair genes after chronic radiation exposure ([14]). Changes in DNA methylation, the addition of methyl group at CpG sites of DNA backbone (5-metylcytosine), can explain the radiation sensitivity in a manner that depends on the exposed doses-, sex-, tissue-specificity ([12]; [13]). [Extracted from the article]