Molecular mechanism of cellular reception of ionizing radiation and of activation of signal transduction pathway

The author reviewed what in cells receives ionizing radiation as a stress and which signal transduction pathway is activated to induce the stress reaction in the following order: Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) pathway by radiation, activation of MAP kinase superfamily by radiation, induction of p53 function by radiation, and radiation exposure and stress reaction pathway. Conclusion was as follows: Cellular receptors to radiation can be cell membrane and DNA. Membrane reception of radiation induces activation of tyrosine kinase and sphingomyelinase, which resulting in activation of PKC-and MAP kinase-mediated signal transduction. The signal generated in the nucleus participates in regulation of cell cycle and in DNA repair. Therefore, it seems that irradiation of ionizing radiation gives energy to various cellular receptor sites as well as DNA, which generate various independent signals to be transduced and accumulated in the nucleus, and leading to cellular response. (K.H.). 63 refs