The effects of high-dose ionizing radiation (HDIR) exposure on the immune system are largely understood with consensus, yet there remains a fragmented understanding of the impact of low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) on immune homeostasis, especially in sustained exposure conditions. This study investigates the effects of continuous LDIR exposure on the murine immune system, focusing on transcriptomic responses and cellular perturbations following low-dose-rate whole-body y -radiation. Female 18-week-old C57BL/6 mice were continuously exposed to low-dose-rate 60 Co radiation over a period of 7 days, resulting in cumulative absorbed doses of 10 mGy and 100 mGy. Our findings indicate that the LDIR exposure induced, at most, only minimal transcriptomic perturbations to the immune system in C57BL/6 mice. These results suggest a preservation of immune cell homeostasis under the sustained low-dose-rate exposure conditions studied. It contributes to a broader understanding of radiation biology, emphasizing that the effects of LDIR on the immune system can be limited at low-dose-rates in mice.
Marr et al. (2026) studied this question.