Recent studies have shown that microglia affects the fate of neural stem cells in response to ionizing radiation, which suggests a role for microglia in radiation-induced degenerative outcomes. We therefore investigated the effects of γ-irradiation on cell survival, proliferation, and activation of microglia and explored associated mechanisms. Specifically, we evaluated cellular and molecular changes associated with exposure of human microglial cells (CHME5) to low and high doses of acute cesium-137 γ rays. Twenty-four hours after irradiation, cell cycle analyses revealed dose-dependent decreases in the fraction of cells in S and G2/M phase, which correlated with significant oxidative stress. By one week after irradiation, 20-30% of the cells exposed to high doses of γ rays underwent apoptosis, which correlated with significant concomitant decrease in metabolic activity as assessed by the MTT assay, and microglial activation as judged by both morphological changes and increased expression of Glut-5 and CR43. These changes were associated with increases in the mRNA levels for IL-1α, IL-10 and TNFα. Together, the results show that human CHME5 microglia are relatively resistant to low and moderate doses of γ rays, but are sensitive to acute high doses, and that CHME5 cells are a useful tool for in vitro study of human microglia.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 26 June 2025.
All research outputs
#8,478,295
of 28,573,925 outputs
Outputs from Brain Research
#2,632
of 9,750 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#102,890
of 322,192 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Brain Research
#26
of 112 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 28,573,925 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 68th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 9,750 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 71% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 322,192 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 66% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 112 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 74% of its contemporaries.
