Whole-Body Interindividual Radiation-Induced Bystander Effect in House Cricket (Acheta domesticus)

Abstract

Ionizing radiation is an area of concern in environmental stress and protection. Although the targeted effects of ionizing radiation on DNA and the impacts on the health of human and vertebrate species are well understood, there is a paucity of data when exploring non-targeted effects of ionizing radiation, particularly on invertebrates. One such effect is radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE), the signal mediated transfer of irradiated effects from irradiated to unirradiated individuals. Here, I am one of the first to translate in vitro RIBE research and demonstrate them with in vivo endpoints using house crickets (Acheta domesticus). I demonstrated the effect of RIBE on development, showing how interactions with irradiated individuals can shift development of unirradiated individuals, resulting in higher average growth rate at maturation in the population, oftentimes due to faster maturation time. Further research suggests some of the possible mechanisms of signal mediation in RIBE in the absence of direct interactions. I demonstrate that RIBE can be mediated to unirradiated individuals through soiled housing materials or biophotons, shifting development. Lastly, I demonstrate that irradiated cricket eggs can cause RIBE, and that these exposed eggs can signal and mediate RIBE, delaying maturation of unirradiated juveniles. My research suggests widespread environmental ramifications for RIBE, suggesting a need to shift our focus away from targeted effects to more holistic models of radiation protection to fully understand the implications of ionizing radiation on the environment and individuals.