Effects of proton irradiation of the lumbar intumescence on intra-axonal transport of acetylcholine and cholinergic enzymes in rat sciatic nerve

Models for Translational Proton Radiobiology-From Bench to Bedside and Back

The number of proton therapy centers worldwide are increasing steadily, with more than two million cancer patients treated so far. Despite this development, pending questions on proton radiobiology still call for basic and translational preclinical research. Open issues are the on-going discussion on an energy-dependent varying proton RBE (relative biological effectiveness), a better characterization of normal tissue side effects and combination treatments with drugs originally developed for photon therapy. At the same time, novel possibilities arise, such as radioimmunotherapy, and new proton therapy schemata, such as FLASH irradiation and proton mini-beams. The study of those aspects demands for radiobiological models at different stages along the translational chain, allowing the investigation of mechanisms from the molecular level to whole organisms. Focusing on the challenges and specifics of proton research, this review summarizes the different available models, ranging from in vitro systems to animal studies of increasing complexity as well as complementing in silico approaches.

Spinal irradiation does not inhibit distal axonal sprouting

In an attempt to determine the relative importance of the nerve cell body and of the axon in initiating and controlling axonal regeneration, nerve cell bodies were irradiated and the ability of the distal axon to sprout was examined. Mice were subjected to either 25 or 50 Gray (Gy) of x-irradiation localized to the lumbar spinal cord. After times varying from 1 day to 6 months after irradiation, a sublethal dose of botulinum toxin (BoTx) was injected into the calf muscles of one leg. The soleus muscle was examined histologically after times varying from 1 week to 6 months after injection, and BoTx-induced ultraterminal axonal sprouting was assessed by the number of motor endplates showing sprouts, the length of the sprouts, and the long term endplate morphology. Apart from some irradiated subgroups having slightly shorter sprout lengths, no significant differences were found between irradiated and nonirradiated groups. The results suggest either that the processes in the nerve cell body responsible for initiating and supporting axonal growth are resistant to large doses of irradiation, or that growth regulatory mechanisms in the distal axon are under local control.

Effects of x-irradiation on axonal sprouting induced by botulinum toxin

The effect of X-irradiation on axonal sprouting of motor nerves induced by botulinum toxin was examined. Muscles of one leg in the mouse were X-irradiated (15 Gy) prior to the injection of a locally paralysing dose of botulinum toxin. It was found that axonal sprouting occurred as expected, but the sprouts remained unmyelinated and many degenerated. Fewer new end-plates were formed, muscles remained more severely atrophied and supersensitive to acetylcholine and recovery of neuromuscular transmission was greatly delayed when compared with the effects of botulinum toxin alone. The experiments show that X-irradiation did not prevent sprouting but, probably by impairing Schwann cell proliferation, altered axon-Schwann cell relationships and prevented the maturation of newly-formed axons and the differentiation of new end-plates.

Influence of descending bulbospinal monoamine neurons on axonal transport of acetylcholine and cholinergic enzymes

The influence of descending bulbospinal monoamine (MA) neurons on the intra-axonal transport of acetylcholine (ACh) and related enzymes (cholineacetyltransferase, CAT, and ACh-esterase, AChE) in rat sciatic nerve was studied in crush experiments following intracisternal injections of specific neurotoxins. The injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OH-DA) and 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-diOH-TA) (50 micrograms X 2) caused a degeneration of catecholamine (CA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) nerve terminals, respectively, and a combination of the two neurotoxins caused a loss of virtually all MA terminals in the lumbar spinal cord. The results of the neurotoxin injections were controlled by the Falck-Hillarp fluorescence method. The effect of neurotoxin treatment on the enzyme activities in the sciatic nerve was very small. The ACh levels of uncrushed nerves and in nerves proximal to a crush performed 12 hours before dissection decreased following either 6-OH-DA or 5,6-diOH-TA. However, the combination treatment with both 6-OH-DA and 5,6-diOH-TA had no influence on ACh accumulation and transport, as compared to the control group. In a previous study we have shown that mid-thoracic spinal cord transection increased AChE-transport while ACh-transport was decreased. The results of this study indicate that the bulbospinal MA neurons may be involved (perhaps indirectly) i the regulation of ACh levels and transport in motor neurons, but less important for the modulation of the cholinergic enzymes.