Effects of thoracic irradiation on pulmonary endothelial compared to alveolar type-II cells in fibrosis-prone C57BL/6NTac mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Thoracic irradiation results in an acute inflammatory response, latent period, and late fibrosis. Little is known about the mechanisms involved in triggering late radiation fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thoracic irradiated fibrosis prone C57BL/6NTac mice were followed for detectable mRNA transcripts in isolated lung cells and micro-RNA in whole-tissues, and the effect of administration of water-soluble oxetanyl sulfoxide MMS350 was studied. Marrow stromal cell motility in medium from fibrotic-phase explanted pulmonary endothelial and alveolar type-II cells was measured. RESULTS: RNA and micro-RNA expression in lung correlated with fibrosis. MMS350 reduced pro-fibrotic gene expression in both endothelial and alveolar type-II cells in irradiated mice. Conditioned medium from irradiated cells did not alter cell motility in vitro. CONCLUSION: These studies should facilitate identification of potential new drug targets for ameliorating irradiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.