Roles of Sensory Nerves in the Regulation of Radiation-Induced Structural and Functional Changes in the Heart

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2014 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJROBP.2013.10.014· OSTI ID:22283328

Sridharan, Vijayalakshmi; Tripathi, Preeti ^[1]; Sharma, Sunil ^[2]; Moros, Eduardo G. ^[3]; Zheng, Junying ^[1]; Hauer-Jensen, Martin ^[1]; Boerma, Marjan ^[1]

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1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (United States)
2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (United States)
3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida (United States)

Purpose: Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a chronic severe side effect of radiation therapy of intrathoracic and chest wall tumors. The heart contains a dense network of sensory neurons that not only are involved in monitoring of cardiac events such as ischemia and reperfusion but also play a role in cardiac tissue homeostasis, preconditioning, and repair. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of sensory nerves in RIHD. Methods and Materials: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered capsaicin to permanently ablate sensory nerves, 2 weeks before local image-guided heart x-ray irradiation with a single dose of 21 Gy. During the 6 months of follow-up, heart function was assessed with high-resolution echocardiography. At 6 months after irradiation, cardiac structural and molecular changes were examined with histology, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. Results: Capsaicin pretreatment blunted the effects of radiation on myocardial fibrosis and mast cell infiltration and activity. By contrast, capsaicin pretreatment caused a small but significant reduction in cardiac output 6 months after irradiation. Capsaicin did not alter the effects of radiation on cardiac macrophage number or indicators of autophagy and apoptosis. Conclusions: These results suggest that sensory nerves, although they play a predominantly protective role in radiation-induced cardiac function changes, may eventually enhance radiation-induced myocardial fibrosis and mast cell activity.

• OSTI ID: 22283328
• Journal Information: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Journal Name: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 88; ISSN IOBPD3; ISSN 0360-3016
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
APOPTOSIS
FIBROSIS
HEART
IRRADIATION
ISCHEMIA
MACROPHAGES
MAST CELLS
NEOPLASMS
NERVE CELLS
NERVES
RADIOTHERAPY
RATS