385. Cancer J Sci Am. 1995 May-Jun;1(1):62-72.
Intravenous basic fibroblast growth factor protects the lung but not mediastinal
organs against radiation-induced apoptosis in vivo.
Fuks Z(1), Alfieri A, Haimovitz-Friedman A, Seddon A, Cordon-Cardo C.
Author information:
(1)Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New
York, NY 10021, USA.
Erratum in
Cancer J Sci Am. 1995 Jul-Aug;1(2):113.
Comment in
Cancer J Sci Am. 1995 May-Jun;1(1):28-9.
PURPOSE: We evaluated the therapeutic potential of intravenously injected basic
fibroblast growth factor against the lethal syndromes associated with irradiation
of intrathoracic organs and assessed whether such protection might be associated
with inhibition of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the exposed tissues.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: C3H/HeJ and C3H/scid mice received either whole-chest,
mediastinal, or bilateral lung irradiation. Human recombinant basic fibroblast
growth factor was injected intravenously at doses of 400 ng immediately before
and after irradiation, and then at 1 hour and 2 hours later. Time-adjusted
survival was calculated from the date of irradiation by the product-limit
Kaplan-Meier method. Detection of apoptotic changes in paraffin sections was
performed by the DNA terminal transferase nick-end translation method.
RESULTS: Basic fibroblast growth factor protected the lungs but not other
intrathoracic organs against radiation-induced damage. When radiation was
restricted to the lungs, the LD50/180 from radiation pneumonitis was 20.75 Gy and
increased to 23.0 Gy in basic fibroblast growth factor-treated mice. When the
whole thorax was irradiated, basic fibroblast growth factor partially protected
against pneumonitis at the low range of radiation doses (< or = LD50/180), but
failed to confer protection at higher doses, nor did it protect against lethal
radiation esophagitis. Staining for the presence of apoptotic nuclei revealed
time- and radiation dose-dependent development of apoptosis in endothelial cells
of the pulmonary capillary network, endocardium, and mesothelial cells of the
pleura and pericardium. Although basic fibroblast growth factor inhibited
apoptosis in the microvascular endothelium and the endocardium, it had no effect
on apoptosis in the serosal mesothelium of the pleura and pericardium.
CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous basic fibroblast growth factor protects against the
apoptotic microvascular component of early-phase radiation pneumonitis but may
have no effect on other elements of the primary damage produced by radiation in
the lungs and other intrathoracic organs. Understanding the patterns and temporal
evolution of radiation-induced apoptosis and basic fibroblast growth
factor-mediated antiapoptotic effects in thoracic organs and tumors may offer
opportunities for pharmacologic intervention in the radiotherapeutic management
of primary and metastatic lung tumors.
PMID: 9166456 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]