Systemic modulation of stress and immune parameters in patients treated for prostate adenocarcinoma by intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy

Background

In this exploratory study, the impact of local irradiation on systemic changes in stress and immune parameters was investigated in eight patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for prostate adenocarcinoma to gain deeper insights into how radiotherapy (RT) modulates the immune system.

Patients and methods

RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, metabolomics, and antibody arrays were used to monitor a panel of stress- and immune-related parameters before RT, after the first fraction (SABR) or the first week of treatment (IMRT), after the last fraction, and 3 weeks later in the blood of IMRT (N = 4) or SABR (N = 4) patients. Effect size analysis was used for comparison of results at different timepoints.

Results

Several parameters were found to be differentially modulated in IMRT and SABR patients: the expression of TGFB1, IL1B, and CCL3 genes; the expression of HLA-DR on circulating monocytes; the abundance and ratio of phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine metabolites in plasma. More immune modulators in plasma were modulated during IMRT than SABR, with only two common proteins, namely GDF-15 and Tim‑3.

Conclusion

Locally delivered RT induces systemic modulation of the immune system in prostate adenocarcinoma patients. IMRT and SABR appear to specifically affect distinct immune components.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00066-020-01637-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

RAPID GENE EXPRESSION BASED DOSE ESTIMATION FOR RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES

Gene expression (GE) assays have shown great potential for rapid individual radiation dose exposure assessment. The aim of the present study was to optimise GE-based biological dosimetry protocols for radiological emergencies. Experiments were carried out to validate a newly developed protocol (P2) where several steps were optimised and to compare it with the current validated protocol in place in our laboratory (P1). Several donor blood samples from were exposed ex vivo to of the following doses: 0, 0.5, 1, 2 Gy X-rays. Concomitant measurement of transcription level of genes FDXR, P21, PHPT1, CCNG1 and SESN1 plus HPRT (control) was performed. To summarise, both protocols provided similar dose estimates, P1 being completed in 7 hours while P2 in merely 4 hours. Thus, a significant time shortening was achieved leading to a potential increase of throughput capacity. Hence, this new protocol can be recommended for mass radiation casualties triage purposes.

Carborane beam from ITEP Bernas ion source for semiconductor implanters

A joint research and development of steady state intense boron ion sources for hundreds of electron-volt ion implanters has been in progress for the past 5 years. The difficulties of extraction and transportation of low energy boron beams can be solved by implanting clusters of boron atoms. In Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) the Bernas ion source successfully generated the beam of decaborane ions. The carborane (C(2)B(10)H(12)) ion beam is more attractive material due to its better thermal stability. The results of carborane ion beam generation are presented. The result of the beam implantation into the silicon wafer is presented as well.