Effect of the THBS1 Gene Knockout on the Radiation-Induced Cellular Response in a Model System In Vitro

In this study, the effect of the THBS1 gene knockout on the survival of human tumor cells, the frequency of spontaneous and radiation-induced micronuclei, and the expression profile of genes in the HeLa cell line was investigated . It was shown that the THBS1 gene knockout led to a decrease in the plating efficiency before and after irradiation (1.4-fold, p = 0.0002 and 1.7-fold, p = 0.00009, respectively) and an increase in the frequency of spontaneous and radiation-induced micronuclei (1.9-fold, p = 0.02 and 2.5-fold, p = 0.01, respectively). In addition, expression of genes involved in the DNA repair processes, apoptosis, and G2/M cell cycle checkpoint was changed after THBS1 knockout in comparison with the intact HeLa cell line. Thus, the THBS1 gene knockout leads to an increase in the radiosensitivity of the HeLa cell line. This indicates the possible role of the THBS1 gene in the regulation of a radiation-induced cellular response.