Risk and mechanism of metabolic syndrome associated with radiation exposure

Obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are the typical features of Metabolic syndrome (MetS). Exploring the risk factors would benefit for prevention control. Several studies have revealed an association between ionizing radiation (IR) exposure and MetS, likely attributable to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, DNA damage. Understanding the health effects of IR exposure, which have long been overlooked, would improve knowledge on MetS and help identify effective strategies for targeted prevention of MetS. In this review, we first highlight the importance of IR and MetS, providing information on the wide use of IR in the field, IR-induced damage, and the prevalence and burden of MetS. Then, we summarize the findings association between IR and various components of MetS addressing the dual effects of IR on MetS in a dose-response manner. Although there remain unresolved challenges, study on the association of radiation and MetS could open new perspectives in the future.