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Walls GM, Ghita M, Herron B, Edgar KS, Kuburas R, Watson CJ, Grieve DJ, Cole AJ, Jain S, Butterworth KT. A multimodality assessment of the protective capacity of statin therapy in a mouse model of radiation cardiotoxicity. Radiother Oncol 2024; 190:110004. [PMID: 37972738 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.110004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite technological advances in radiotherapy (RT), cardiotoxicity remains a common complication in patients with lung, oesophageal and breast cancers. Statin therapy has been shown to have pleiotropic properties beyond its lipid-lowering effects. Previous murine models have shown statin therapy can reduce short-term functional effects of whole-heart irradiation. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of atorvastatin in protecting against the late effects of radiation exposure on systolic function, cardiac conduction, and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) following a clinically relevant partial-heart radiation exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS Female, 12-week old, C57BL/6j mice received an image-guided 16 Gy X-ray field to the base of the heart using a small animal radiotherapy research platform (SARRP), with or without atorvastatin from 1 week prior to irradiation until the end of the experiment. The animals were followed for 50 weeks with longitudinal transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and electrocardiography (ECG) every 10 weeks, and plasma ANP every 20 weeks. RESULTS At 30-50 weeks, mild left ventricular systolic function impairment observed in the RT control group was less apparent in animals receiving atorvastatin. ECG analysis demonstrated prolongation of components of cardiac conduction related to the heart base at 10 and 30 weeks in the RT control group but not in animals treated with atorvastatin. In contrast to systolic function, conduction disturbances resolved at later time-points with radiation alone. ANP reductions were lower in irradiated animals receiving atorvastatin at 30 and 50 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Atorvastatin prevents left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and the perturbation of cardiac conduction following partial heart irradiation. If confirmed in clinical studies, these data would support the use of statin therapy for cardioprotection during thoracic radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard M Walls
- Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, UK; Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK.
| | - Mihaela Ghita
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Brian Herron
- Department of Histopathology Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Falls Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Kevin S Edgar
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Refik Kuburas
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Chris J Watson
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - David J Grieve
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Aidan J Cole
- Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, UK; Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Suneil Jain
- Cancer Centre Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Lisburn Road, Belfast, UK; Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Karl T Butterworth
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Jubilee Road, Belfast, UK
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Tapio S. Pathology and biology of radiation-induced cardiac disease. JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH 2016; 57:439-448. [PMID: 27422929 PMCID: PMC5045085 DOI: 10.1093/jrr/rrw064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Heart disease is the leading global cause of death. The risk for this disease is significantly increased in populations exposed to ionizing radiation, but the mechanisms are not fully elucidated yet. This review aims to gather and discuss the latest data about pathological and biological consequences in the radiation-exposed heart in a comprehensive manner. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying radiation-induced damage in heart tissue and cardiac vasculature will provide novel targets for therapeutic interventions. These may be valuable for individuals clinically or occupationally exposed to varying doses of ionizing radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soile Tapio
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Institute of Radiation Biology, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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