Beneficial Effects of X-Irradiation on Recovery of lesioned Mammalian Central Nervous Tissue

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 87; no. 24; pp. 10058 - 10062
• Main Authors: Kalderon, Nurit, Alfieri, Alan A., Fuks, Zvi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01.12.1990; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: 560152 - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals; ANIMAL CELLS; ANIMALS; Astrocytes; Astrocytes - cytology; Astrocytes - physiology; Astrocytes - radiation effects; Biological and medical sciences; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS; BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY; BODY; BRAIN; Brain Injuries - pathology; Brain Injuries - physiopathology; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; Female; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - analysis; INJURIES; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; IONIZING RADIATIONS; Irradiation; MAMMALS; Medical sciences; Memory interference; NERVE CELLS; Nerve Degeneration - radiation effects; Nerve tissue; NERVOUS SYSTEM; Neurons; Neurons - pathology; Neurons - physiology; Neurons - radiation effects; Olfactory Bulb - pathology; Olfactory Bulb - physiology; Olfactory Bulb - radiation effects; OLFACTORY BULBS; ORGANS; Physical trauma; RADIATION EFFECTS; RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT; RADIATIONS; RATS; Rats, Inbred Strains; RECOVERY; RODENTS; Scars; Schwann cells; SOMATIC CELLS; Tissue samples; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; VERTEBRATES; X RADIATION; X-Rays; Nervous system diseases; Rat; Craniocerebral; Plesiotherapy; Rodentia; Radiotherapy; Section; Trauma; Regeneration; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Treatment; Animal; Olfactory bulb
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.87.24.10058

We examined the potential of x-irradiation, at clinical dose levels, to manipulate the cellular constituents and thereby change the consequences of transection injury to adult mammalian central nervous tissue (rat olfactory bulb). Irradiation resulted in reduction or elimination of reactive astrocytes at the site of incision provided that it was delivered within a defined time window postinjury. Under conditions optimal for the elimination of gliosis (15-18 days postinjury), irradiation of severed olfactory bulbs averted some of the degenerative consequences of lesion. We observed that irradiation was accompanied by prevention of tissue degeneration around the site of lesion, structural healing with maintenance of the typical cell lamination, and rescue of some axotomized mitral cells (principal bulb neurons). Thus radiation resulted in partial preservation of normal tissue morphology. It is postulated that intrusive cell populations are generated in response to injury and reactive astrocytes are one such group. Our results suggest that selective elimination of these cells by irradiation enabled some of the regenerative processes that are necessary for full recovery to maintain their courses. The cellular targets of these cells, their modes of intervention in recovery, and the potential role of irradiation as a therapeutic modality for injured central nervous system are discussed.