Low-dose radiation differentially regulates protein acetylation and histone deacetylase expression in human coronary artery endothelial cells

Results: Nearly a hundred proteins were found to have an altered acetylation status 24 h after irradiation, primarily due to an overall decrease in acetylation. The expression of specific deacetylases was significantly increased, coinciding with an enhancement in global deacetylase activity. Proteins changed in their acetylation status belonged to several pathways including protein synthesis, cytoskeleton-related processes, protein folding and calcium signaling.

The predicted changes in the RhoA/actin cytoskeleton pathway were validated by immunoassay. Conclusions: This study shows that protein acetylation is an important mediator of radiation responses in human cardiac coronary endothelial cells. Increased knowledge of the endothelial response to radiation is crucial for the development of normal tissue-sparing modalities during radiation therapy.