Genetic profiling of rat gliomas and cardiac schwannomas from life-time radiofrequency radiation exposure study using a targeted next-generation sequencing gene panel

Abstract

Overview

The study investigates the cancer risk linked to lifetime exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in Sprague Dawley rats conducted at the Ramazzini Institute, Italy. Specifically, it examines occurrences of gliomas and cardiac schwannomas in these rats.

Findings

Molecular characterizations were performed identifying key genetic alterations in tumors through a targeted next-generation sequencing panel reflecting orthologous human genes linked to gliomagenesis. Results highlighted:

• No mutations aligning with human IDH1/IDH2 mutations typically seen in human gliomas, suggesting these rat gliomas are primarily wild-type for these mutations.
• Approximately 25% of mutations in these rat tumors match alterations in human cancer genes, indicative of morphological and genetic similarities to human low-grade gliomas.

These findings reinforce the utility of targeted genetic panels to assess the translational relevance of rodent tumors to human conditions.

Conclusion

The study underscores significant molecular distinctions and similarities between rat and human tumors, offering insights into their translational relevance and potential differences in tumor progression and carcinogenesis mechanisms. This could be pivotal in refining strategies for assessing cancer risks in animal models used in radiofrequency radiation studies.