Japanese Here>>

Department of Radiation Biology and Health

Associate Professor : Akira Ootsuyama, M.Vet., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor : Ryuji Okazaki, MD, Ph.D.


Focus of research

1. Cellular apoptotic capacity is being investigated as factors influencing radiation induced teratogenesis, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.

2. Adaptive responses to low-level radiation in cells and organisms.

3. Biological assessment of an exposure to tritium beta rays and an enhancement of tritium excretion.

4. Modification of radiosensitivity in cancer treatment.

5. Quantitative assays for measuring the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of carcinogenic mutagens in human peripheral blood T-lymphocytes.

6. Evaluation of biological effects of electromagnetic fields.

7. Survey of medical and occupational radiation exposure.

Keywords :

Radiation biology, Teratogenesis, Apoptosis, Radiosensitizer, Magnetic fields


Latest publications of our research

Okazaki, R., Ootsuyama, A., Kakihara, H., Mabuchi, Y., Matsuzaki, Y., Michikawa, Y., Imai, T., Norimura, T.F Dynamics of delayed p53 mutations in mice given whole-body irradiation at 8 weeks , Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys, 79(1):247-254(2011)

Okazaki, R. , Mabuchi, Y. , Yoshida, Y. , Suzuki, S. , ‚cing, ‚m. , Matsuzaki, Y. , Ootsuyama, A. , Norimura, T. : The late effects of radiation on lifespan, lymphocyte proliferation and p53 haplodeficiency in mice, Int. J. Radiat. Biol., 86(11):927-934(2010)

Okudaira, N. , Uehara, Y. , Fujikawa, K. , Kagawa, N. , Ootsuyama, A. , Norimura, T. , Saeki, K. , Nohmi, T. , Matumura, K. , Matsumoto, T. , Oghiso, Y. , Tanaka, K. , Ichinohe, K. , Nakamura, S. , Tanaka, S. , Ono, T. : Radiation Dose-Rate Effect on Mutation Induction in Spleen and Liver of gpt delta Mice, Radiation Research, 173(2):138-147(2010)

Umata, T., Kunugita, N. & Norimura, T.: A comparison of the mutagenic and apoptotic effects of tritiated water and acute of chronic caesimu-137 gamma exposure on spleen T lymphocytes on normal and p53-deficient mice, Int. J. Radiat. Biol.,85(12):1082-1088(2009)

Igari, Y., Igari, K., Kunugita, N., Ootsuyama, A., Norimura, T.: Prolonged Increase in T-Cell Receptor(TCR) Variant Fractions of Spleen T Lymphocytes in Pregnant Mice after gamma Irradiation. Radiat. Res.,168(1):81-86(2007)

Okazaki , R., Ootsuyama, A., Norimura, T.: TP53 and TP53-Related Genes Associated with Protection from Apoptosis in the Radioadaptive Response. Radiat. Res. 167(1):51-57(2007)

Igari, K., Igari, Y.,Okazaki, R., Kato, F., Ootsuyama, A., Norimura, T.: The Delayed Manifestation of T-cell Receptor (TCR) Variants in X-irradiated Mice Depends on Trp 53 Status. Radiat. Res.,166(1):55-60(2006)

Okazaki , R., Moon, Y., Norimura, T., Eling, T.E.: Ionizing Radiation Enhances the Expression of NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Activated Gene (NAG1) by Increasing the Expression of TP53 in Human Colon Cancer Cells. Radiat. Res.,165(2):125-130(2006)

Okazaki, R., Ootsuyama, A., Norimura, T.: Radioadaptive Response for Protection against Radiation-Induced Teratogenesis. Radiat. Res., 163:266-270(2005)

Okazaki, R., Sakai, A., Ootsuyama, A., Sakata, T., Nakamura, T., Norimura, T.: Trabecular bone mass and bone formation are preserved after limb immobilisation in p53 null mice. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 63(4):453-456(2004)

Ootsuyama, A., Okazaki, R., Norimura, T.: Effect of exposure to low-dose rate radiation on autoimmune diseases of immunologically suppressed MRL/MpTn-gld/gld mice. J Radiat. Res., (44):243-247(2003)

Okazaki, R., Sakai, A., Ootsuyama, A., Sakata, T., Nakamura, T.,Norimura, T.: Apoptosis and p53 expression in chondrocytes relate to degeneration in articular cartilage of immobilized knee joints. Rheum., 30(3):559-566(2003)

Kato, F., Kakihara, H., Kunugita, N., Ootsuyama, A., Norimura, T.: Role of p53 gene in apoptotic repair of genotoxic tissue damage in mice. J Radiat. Res., 43(Supl):209-212(2002)

Norimura, T., Kato, F. : Essential role of p53 gene in apoptotic tissue repair for radiation-induced teratogenic injury., Radiation and Homeostasis : 423-429(2002).

Okazaki, R., Ootsuyama, A., Uchida, S., Norimura, T. : Effects of a 4.7 T Static Magnetic Field on Fetal Development in ICR Mice. J Radiat. Res., 42(3) : 273-283(2001).

Kato, F., Ootsuyama, A., Nomoto, S., Kondo, S. and Norimura, T.:@Threshold effect for teratogenic risk of radiation depends on dose-rate and p53-dependent apoptosis.Int. J. Radiat. Biol., 77(1) : 13-19(2001).

Yamamoto, H., Norimura, T., Katase, A.:@Concentrations and consequent radiation doses of uranium-238, thorium-232 and potassium-40 contained in the front glass of CRTs.@J. UOEH, 22(2) : 133-146 (2000).

Sakata, T., Sakai, A., Tsurukami, H., Okimoto, N., Okazaki, Y., Ikeda, S., Norimura, T. and Nakamura,T.:@Trabecular bone turnover and bone marrow cell development in tail-suspended mice. J. Bone Miner Res., 14(9) : 1596-1604 (1999).

Tanooka, H.,Ootsuyama, A.,Sasaki, H.: Homologous recombination between p53 and its pseudogene in a radiation-induced mouse tumor. Cancer Research, 58(24) 5649-5651(1998)

Nomoto, S., Ootsuyama, A., Shioyama, Y., Katsuki, M., Kondo, S. and Norimura, T.: The high susceptibility of heterozygous p53(+/-) mice to malformation after foetal irradiation is related to sub-competent apoptosis. Int. J. Radiat. Biol., 74 : 419-429 (1998).

Norimura, T., Nomoto, S., Katsuki, M., Gondo, Y. & Kondo, S.: p53-dependent apoptosis Suppresses radiation-induced teratogenesis. Nature Medicine 2(5) : 577-580 (1996)

Mei, N., Kunugita, N., Nomoto, S. and Norimura, T.: Comparison of the frequency of T-cell receptor mutants and thioguanine resistance induced by X-rays and ethylnitrosourea in cultured human blood T-lymphocytes. Mutation Research, 357 : 191-197 (1996).

Okazaki, R., Sakai, A., Nakamura, T., Kunugita, N., Norimura, T. and Suzuki, K.: Effects of transforming growth factor bs and basic fibroblast growth factor on articular chondrocytes obtained from immobilised rabbit knees. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 55(3) : 181-186 (1996).

Kunugita, N., Mei, N., Nomoto, S. and Norimura, T.: Measurement of the CD3-4+ variant T cell frequency by flow cytometry after X-irradiation on mice. J. Occupational Health, 38(1) : 25-29 (1996).

Ootsuyama, A.:@Skin and bone tumors induced by repeated beta-irradiation of mice: Threshold effect and p53 mutations. J Radiation Research, 37:151-159(1996)

Mei, N., Imada, H., Nomoto, S., Kunugita, N. and Norimura, T.:@Individual variation and age dependency in the radiosensitivity of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes from normal donors. J. Radiation Research, 37 : 235-245 (1996).

Kunugita, N., Mei, N., Norimura, T. and Kagiya, T. : Modification of radio-thermo-chemotherapy by AK-2123 and hydralazine in tumor bearing mice. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 34:838-841 (1996).

Sakai, A., Nakamura, T., Tsurukami, H., Okazaki, R., Nishida, S., Tanaka, Y., Norimura, T. and Suzuki,K.: Bone marrow capacity for bone cells and trabecular bone turnover in immobilized tibia after sciatic neurectomy in mice. @Bone, 18(5) : 479-486 (1996).


Educational activities

The use of radiation which is extending steadily in medicine, industry, and in power production has become indispensable to modern life. Thus the purpose of this course is to have the students understand what radiation is, how it affects living things and man, how to use and manage it correctly in medicine, and how to prevent radiation hazards during medical use.

This course is divided into two parts; lectures and practice.

The lectures deal with the following five subjects; 1) Introduction : Concerning radiation and man, 2) Radiation physics, 3) Radiation biology, 4) Radiation hazards, 5) Health physics.

The experiments on radiation effects on mammals and mammalian cells and the safe handling of radioisotopes are carried out in the practice.

mupdate Jan. 30, 2013. edited by Dept. of Radiation Biology & Healthn