Metabolomic applications in radiation biodosimetry

Abstract

Metabolomics, the collective assessment and quantification of small molecules in a given biofluid or tissue sample, has provided new ways in evaluating an individual’s exposure level to ionizing radiation or other genotoxic stressors. Protocols that are routinely utilized for the preparation of samples from rodents to patients are presented here in order to be analyzed by high-throughput liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. These protocols are based on established methods in our laboratory that have been used extensively in radiation biodosimetry through metabolomics. These protocols are focused on general profiling of samples and therefore do not concentrate on extraction of specific classes on metabolites (e.g., eicosanoids).