Clara Morral, Arshad Ayyaz, Hsuan-Cheng Kuo, Mardi Fink, Ioannis I Verginadis, Andrea R Daniel, Danielle N Burner, Lucy M Driver, Sloane Satow, Stephanie Hasapis, Reem Ghinnagow, Lixia Luo, Yan Ma, Laura D Attardi, Constantinos Koumenis, Andy J Minn, Jeffrey L Wrana, Chang-Lung Lee, David G Kirsch
Ionizing radiation induces cell death in the gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium by activating p53. However, p53 also prevents animal lethality caused by radiation-induced acute GI syndrome. Through single-cell RNA-sequencing of the irradiated mouse small intestine, we find that p53 target genes are specifically enriched in regenerating epithelial cells that undergo fetal-like reversion, including revival stem cells (revSCs) that promote animal survival after severe damage of the GI tract. Accordingly, in mice with p53 deleted specifically in the GI epithelium, ionizing radiation fails to induce fetal-like revSCs...
April 8, 2024: Nature Communications