Project 2: Evaluation of radiation-related changes in clonal hematopoiesis, inflammation, and atherosclerosis indicators among A-bomb survivors

Summary

Previous studies have shown that inflammatory markers are elevated in atomic-bomb (A-bomb) survivors many years after radiation exposure, and an ongoing study has found an association of radiation dose with atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms of this association remain unclear. We hypothesize that clonal hematopoiesis (CH) and T-cell aging (TCA) following radiation exposure mediate chronic inflammation and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. To evaluate the hypothesis, this project will investigate the relationships among CH, TCA, inflammation, and atherosclerosis using existing data related to clonal and biased hematopoiesis, T-cell immunity, systemic inflammation, and subclinical atherosclerosis in Adult Health Study (AHS) participants. The statistical analyses for this project will mostly be done by incorporating new markers, such as CH and TCA indicators, into the existing structural equation model in ongoing analyses of the atherosclerosis study (RP 7-09)