A 3D In Vitro Cortical Tissue Model Based on Dense Collagen to Study the Effects of Gamma Radiation on Neuronal Function

Studies on gamma radiation-induced injury have long been focused on hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems, yet little is known about the effects of gamma radiation on the function of human cortical tissue. The challenge in studying radiation-induced cortical injury is, in part, due to a lack of human tissue models and physiologically relevant readouts. Here, a physiologically relevant 3D collagen-based cortical tissue model (CTM) is developed for studying the functional response of human iPSC-derived neurons and astrocytes to a sub-lethal radiation exposure (5 Gy). Cytotoxicity, DNA damage, morphology, and extracellular electrophysiology are quantified. It is reported that 5 Gy exposure significantly increases cytotoxicity, DNA damage, and astrocyte reactivity while significantly decreasing neurite length and neuronal network activity. Additionally, it is found that clinically deployed radioprotectant amifostine ameliorates the DNA damage, cytotoxicity, and astrocyte reactivity. The CTM provides a critical experimental platform to understand cell-level mechanisms by which gamma radiation (GR) affects human cortical tissue and to screen prospective radioprotectant compounds.