S. Mcdonald et al., PULMONARY CHANGES INDUCED BY COMBINED MOUSE INTERFERON-BETA (RMUIFN-BETA) AND IRRADIATION IN NORMAL MICE - TOXIC VERSUS PROTECTIVE EFFECTS, Radiotherapy and oncology, 26(3), 1993, pp. 212-218
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology,"Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
This study in normal mice was undertaken to investigate possible enhan
cement of pulmonary toxicity by interferon - beta (IFN-beta) combined
with single doses of irradiation. A pharmacokinetic study preceded the
toxicity study to determine the optimal route and timing of IFN admin
istration. Graded single doses of radiation were combined with graded
doses of IFN. Pulmonary toxicity was determined using endpoints of alv
eolar surfactant and procollagen in lung lavage fluid at 7 days, breat
hing frequency, lethality and histology. Increased lethality was seen
when IFN was combined with irradiation at 12.5 Gy vs. irradiation alon
e. This occurred between 20 and 30 weeks post treatment with no increa
sed breathing frequency or surfactant release, suggesting independent
mechanisms of injury. Increased breathing frequency after 40 weeks, us
ually associated with fibrosis, was less pronounced for IFN treated vs
. irradiation only controls. Ultrastructural studies at 72 weeks sugge
st reduced fibrosis in lungs of IFN treated vs. irradiation only contr
ols. Supporting this was the finding that Procollagen III, a biosynthe
tic precursor of collagen, was increased in the lavage fluid at 7 days
for all radiation doses but decreased with the addition of IFN at 12.
5 and 15 Gy. Interferons can act either as sensitizers or radioprotect
ors, depending on the biological system and type of interferon. Our st
udy suggests that while IFN-beta may increase the acute effects of rad
iation in the mouse lung, some protection from radiation-induced fibro
sis, possibly related to alteration of immune mechanisms, may exist.