Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026. Vol. 71. № 1

DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-1-21-25

S.A. Abdullaev1, 2, N.F. Raeva1, D.V. Fomina1, T.P. Kalinin1, T.N. Maksimova3,
G.D. Zasukhina1, 4

Features of the Effect of Low Doses of Radiation
and Prospects for Therapy of Certain Human Pathologies

1 A.I. Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russia

2 Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Pushchino, Russia

3 I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

4 N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Moscow, Russia

 

ABSTRACT

The review analyzes literature data on the effects of low doses of radiation on humans and animals, and their potential impact in various pathological conditions. Particular attention is paid to the possibilities of using low doses of radiation in the prevention and treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases, as well as safety issues and risks associated with radiation exposure. The data obtained allow us to draw conclusions about the possibilities of using low doses of radiation in medical practice.

Key words: low radiation doses, radio response, therapeutic effect, non-coding RNAs

For citation: Abdullaev SA, Raeva NF, Fomina DV, Kalinin TP, Maksimova TN, Zasukhina GD. Features of the Effect of Low Doses of Radiation and Prospects for Therapy of Certain Human Pathologies. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026;71(1):21–25.
(In Russian). DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-1-21-25

 

References

1. Aslani M., Saadat S., Boskabady M. Comprehensive and Updated Review on Anti-Oxidant Effect of Nigella Sativa and its Constituent, Thymoquinone, in Various Disorders. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences. 2024;27;8:924-951. Doi: 10.22038/IJBMS.2024.75985.16453

2. Dahl H., Eide D., Tengs T., et al. Perturbed Transcriptional Profiles after Chronic Low Dose Rate Radiation in Mice. PLOS ONE. 2021 Aug 24;16;8:e0256667. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256667.

3. Засухина Г.Д., Кузьмина Н.С. Генетический полиморфизм в защите клеток человека от мутагенов // Генетический полиморфизм человека: структурное и функциональное индивидуальное разнообразие биомакромолекул. М.: МГУ, 2007. С. 583-599 [Zasukhina G.D., Kuz’mina N.S. Genetic Polymorphism in the Protection of Human Cells from Mutagens. Geneticheskiy Polimorfizm Cheloveka: Strukturnoye i Funktsional’noye Individual’noye Raznoobraziye Biomakromolekul = Human Genetic Polymorphism: Structural and Functional Individual Diversity of Biomacromolecules. Moscow, MGU Publ., 2007. P. 583-599 (In Russ.)]. 

4. Ghaleb A, Marchenko N. Low Dose but not High Dose γ-Irradiation Elicits the Dominant-Negative Effect of Mutant p53 in Vivo. Cancer Lett. 2022;530:128-141. Doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.01.018. 

5. Fernanda H., Pedro R., Georg C. Lighting up the Tumor Fire with Low-Dose Irradiation. Trends in Immunology. Trends Immunol. 2022;43;3:173-179.  Doi: 10.1016/j.it.2022.01.006. 

6. Mothersill C., Seymour C., Cocchetto A., Williams D. Factors Influencing of Low-Dose Radiation Exposure. Health Physics. 2024;126;5:296-308. Doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000001816. 

7. Михайлов В.Ф., Засухина Г.Д. Новый подход к стимуляции защитных систем организма малыми дозами радиации // Успехи современной биологии. 2020. Т.140. №3. С. 244–252 [Mikhaylov V.F., Zasukhina G.D. A New Approach to Stimulating Body’s Defense Systems with Low Radiation Doses. Uspekhi Sovremennoi Biologii = Advances in Modern Biology. 2020;140;3:244–252 (In Russ.)]. Doi: 10.31857/S0042132420030060. 

8. Venkatachalam V., Yorsz M., Grodsky A., et al. Low-Dose Radiation and the Cellular Response to Subsequent Therapies. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics 2024;120;2:e405-e406. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.07.901.

9. Au N., Wu T., Kumar G., et al. Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation Promotes Motor Recovery and Brain Rewiring by Resolving Inflammatory Response after Brain Injury and Stroke. Brain, Behavior and Immunity. 2024;115:43-63. Doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.015.

10. Sharma D.N., Guleria R., Wig N., Mohan A., Rath G., Subramani V., et al. Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for COVID-19 Pneumonia: a Pilot Study. Br. J. Radiol. 2021;94;1126:20210187. Doi: 10.1259/bjr.20210187.

11. Салеева Д.В., Засухина Г.Д. Перспективы применения малых доз радиации в комплексной терапии COVID-19 // Вопросы вирусологии. 2021. Т.66. №4. С. 252-258 [Saleyeva D.V., Zasukhina G.D. Prospects for the Use of Low-Dose Radiation in the Complex Therapy of COVID-19. Voprosy Virusologii = Problems OF Virology. 2021;66;4:252-258 (In Russ.)]. Doi: 10.36233/0507-4088-62REVIEWS14. 

12. Yadav U., Sapra B. A Systematic Review and Analysis of Low Dose Radiation Therapy for COVID-19 Pneumonia-Learnings of 4 Years Pandemic. Clinical and Translational Science. 2025;18;2:e70137.  Doi: 10.1111/cts.70137

13. Hoveidaei A., Karimi M., Salmannezhad A., Tavakoli Y., Taghavi S.P., Hoveidaei A.H. Low-Dose Radiation Therapy in Managing Osteoarthrits: a Comprehensive Review. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2025;102:100777. Doi: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2025.100777.

14. Chen M., He R., Wang K., et al. Low-Dose Radiation Ameliorates Doxorubicin-Induced Renal Injury Via Reducing Oxidative Stress and Protecting Mitochondrial Function. PLOS ONE. 2 2025 Feb 11;20;2:e0313649. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313649.

15. Onyewadume L., McClelland Sh. Success of Ultra-Low Dose Radiation Therapy for Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma. Am J Clin Oncol. 2024;47;9:431-433. Doi: 10.1097/COC.0000000000001113. 

16. Amarell K., Brito K., Arpi-Palacios J., et al. The Use of a Low Dose Elective Volume in Head and Neck Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy-Initial Report of Outcomes of Novel Planning Approach. 2024;120:25.

17. Ушаков И.Б., Федоров В.П., Померанцев Н.А. Радиация. Авиация. Человек (Очерки практической радиобиологии человека): М.: ФМБЦ им. А.И. Бурназяна ФМБА России, 2024. 388 с. [Ushakov I.B., Fedorov V.P., Pomerantsev N.A. Radiatsiya. Aviatsiya. Chelovek (Ocherki Prakticheskoy Radiobiologii Cheloveka) = Radiation. Aviation. Human (Essays on Practical Human Radiobiology). Moscow, FMBTS im. A.I. Burnazyana FMBA RossiiPubl., 2024. 388 p. (In Russ.)].

18. Weerasinghe-Mudiyanselage P. Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Neurological Disorders – a Double-Edged Sword. Discovery Medicine. 2024;36:898-912. 

19. Засухина Г.Д., Максимова Т.Н. Перспективы применения тимохинона (компонента Nigella sativa) в профилактике и терапии нейропатологий // Успехи современной биологии. 2024. Т.144. №2. С. 165-170 [Zasukhina G.D., Maksimova T.N. Prospects for the Use of Thymoquinone (a Component of Nigella Sativa) in the Prevention and Treatment of Neuropathologies. Uspekhi Sovremennoi Biologii = Advances in Modern Biology. 2024;144;2:165-170 (In Russ.)].

20. Салеева Д.В., Рождественский Л.М., Раева Н.Ф., Воробьева Е.С., Засухина Г.Д. Механизмы противоопухолевого действия малых доз радиации, связанные с активацией защитных систем клетки // Мед. радиология и радиационная безопасность. 2023. Т.68. №1. С. 15-18 [Saleyeva D.V., Rozhdestvenskiy L.M., Rayeva N.F., Vorob’yeva Ye.S., Zasukhina G.D. Mechanisms of the Antitumor Effect of Low Doses of Radiation Associated with the Activation of Cellular Defense Systems. Meditsinskaya Radiologiya i Radiatsionnaya Bezopasnost’ = Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2023;68;1:15-18 (In Russ.)].

21. Rafiq Z., Kang M., Barsoumian H.B., et al. Enhancing Immunotherapy Efficacy with Synergistic Low-Dose Radiation in Metastatic Melanoma-Current Insights and Prospects. Journal of Exper. And Clinical Cancer Res. 2025;44;1:31. Doi: 10.1186/s13046-025-03281-2.

22. Sasipriya P., Jeyakumar T., Vardhanan G., et al. Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Lung Fibrosis with Low Dose Radiation Therapy in Paraquat Poisoning: a Case Series. International Journal of Trends on OncoScience. 2024;2;4:25-30. Doi 1022376\iitos.2024.2.4. 25-30.

23. Засухина Г.Д., Львова Г.Н., Васильева И.М. и др. Адаптивная репарация, индуцированная малыми дозами радиации, в репарационно-дефектных клетках человека // Доклад РАН. 1993. Т.329. №5. С. 658-660 [Zasukhina G.D., L’vova G.N., Vasil’yeva I.M., et al. Adaptive Reparation Induced by Low Doses of Radiation in Reparation-Defective Human Cells. Doklad RAN = Report of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1993;329;5:658-660.

24. Wang Y., Gao J., Tang B., et al. A Comparative Study on the Dose-Effect of Low-Dose Radiation Based on Microdosimetric Analysis and Single-Cell Sequencing Technology. Scientific Reports. 2024;14;1:11524. Doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-62501-5.

25. May J., Byllicky M., Chopra S., et al. Long and Short Noncoding RNA and Radiation Response: a Review. Translational Research. 2021;233:162-179. Doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.02.005.  

26. Шуленина Л.В., Михайлов В.Ф., Засухина Г.Д. Длинные некодирующие РНК в радиоответе // Радиационная биология. Радиоэкология. 2020. Т.60. №3. С. 239–248 [Shulenina L.V., Mikhaylov V.F., Zasukhina G.D. Long Non-Coding RNAs in Radioresponse. Radiatsionnaya Biologiya. Radioekologiya = Radiation Biology. Radioecology. 2020;60;3:239–248
(In Russ.)]. 

27. Салеева Д.В., Раева Н.Ф., Свиридова Д.А., Засухина Г.Д. МикроРНК: роль в регуляции генов, прогнозе заболеваний, радиотерапии и при действии радиопротекторов // Радиобиология. Радиоэкология. 2022. Т.62. №6. С. 565-577 [Saleyeva D.V., Rayeva N.F., Sviridova D.A., Zasukhina G.D. MicroRNA: Role in Gene Regulation, Disease Prognosis, Radiotherapy and the Action of Radioprotectors. Radiatsionnaya Biologiya. Radioekologiya = Radiation Biology. Radioecology. 2022;62;6:565-577 (In Russ.)].

 

 

 PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)

 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Financing. The work was carried out on the topic “Technology-3” (State Assignment No. 123011300105-3).

Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.

Article received: 20.11.2025. Accepted for publication: 25.12.2025.