Radiotherapy-Induced Skin Reactions Induce Fibrosis Mediated by TGF-β1 Cytokine

Cherley Borba Vieira de Andrade; Isalira Peroba Rezende Ramos; Alan César Nunes de Moraes; Ana Lúcia Rosa do Nascimento; Camila Salata; Regina Coeli Dos Santos Goldenberg; Jorge José de Carvalho; Carlos Eduardo Veloso de Almeida

doi:10.1177/1559325817705019

Radiotherapy-Induced Skin Reactions Induce Fibrosis Mediated by TGF-β1 Cytokine

Dose Response. 2017 Apr 28;15(2):1559325817705019. doi: 10.1177/1559325817705019. eCollection 2017 Apr-Jun.

Authors

Cherley Borba Vieira de Andrade^{1

2}, Isalira Peroba Rezende Ramos³, Alan César Nunes de Moraes⁴, Ana Lúcia Rosa do Nascimento⁵, Camila Salata¹, Regina Coeli Dos Santos Goldenberg⁶, Jorge José de Carvalho⁵, Carlos Eduardo Veloso de Almeida¹

Affiliations

¹ Radiological Sciences Laboratory, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
² Translational Endocrinology Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
³ Center Structural Biology and Bio-imaging (CENABIO), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
⁵ Ultrastructure Laboratory and Tissue Biology, Department of Histology and Embriology (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
⁶ Cellular and Molecular Cardiology Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate radiation-induced lesions on the skin in an experimental animal model. Methods and Materials: Cutaneous wounds were induced in Wistar rats by 4 MeV energy electron beam irradiation, using a dose rate of 240 cGy/min, for 3 different doses (10 Gy, 40 Gy, and 60 Gy). The skin was observed 5, 10, and 25 days (D) after ionizing radiation exposition.

Results: Infiltrate inflammatory process was observed in D5 and D10, for the 40 Gy and 60 Gy groups, and a progressive increase of transforming growth factor β1 is associated with this process. It could also be noted a mischaracterization of collagen fibers at the high-dose groups.

Conclusion: It was observed that the lesions caused by ionizing radiation in rats were very similar to radiodermatitis in patients under radiotherapy treatment.

Advances in knowledge: This study is important to develop strategies to prevent radiation-induced skin reactions.

Keywords: TGF-β1; collagen; fibrosis; ionizing radiation.