<p>The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a fundamental monolayer of pigmented cells that supports visual function, situated between the neural retina and choroidal blood vessels. Radiotherapy is a common treatment for ocular tumors such as uveal melanoma; however, the RPE is inevitably exposed to radiation during treatment. FLASH radiotherapy, characterized by ultra-high dose-rates, has emerged as a promising approach to minimize normal tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. Despite its potential, few preclinical studies have explored the effects of FLASH irradiation on the RPE, and no studies have directly compared FLASH with conventional (CONV) radiotherapy in this context. Using a LINAC capable of switching between FLASH and CONV irradiation, we here address the radiobiological effects on ARPE-19 cells, an in vitro RPE model, and the RPE of living mice. FLASH treatment demonstrated protective effects on ARPE-19 cells, enhancing cell viability and modulating cytokine expression (e.g., IL-6, IL-8). Furthermore, RPE tissue exhibited dose-dependent radiation sensitivity, with FLASH-irradiated mice performing better than CONV-treated ones. These findings indicate that FLASH radiotherapy may protect the RPE during ocular tumor treatment and provide insights into tissue-specific radiation sensitivity in the eye, supporting further research into its clinical applications.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Unraveling the effects of FLASH and conventional irradiation on retinal pigment epithelial cells: in vitro and in vivo studies

  • Beatrice Di Marco,
  • Gabriele Sansevero,
  • Beatrice D’Orsi,
  • Elisa De Santis,
  • Giulia Salamone,
  • Andrea Cavalieri,
  • Luigi Masturzo,
  • Mariagrazia Celentano,
  • Fabio Di Martino,
  • Simone Capaccioli,
  • Daniele Panetta,
  • Fabiola Paiar,
  • Alessandra Gonnelli,
  • Giovanni Gadducci,
  • Mario Costa,
  • Enrica Strettoi

摘要

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a fundamental monolayer of pigmented cells that supports visual function, situated between the neural retina and choroidal blood vessels. Radiotherapy is a common treatment for ocular tumors such as uveal melanoma; however, the RPE is inevitably exposed to radiation during treatment. FLASH radiotherapy, characterized by ultra-high dose-rates, has emerged as a promising approach to minimize normal tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. Despite its potential, few preclinical studies have explored the effects of FLASH irradiation on the RPE, and no studies have directly compared FLASH with conventional (CONV) radiotherapy in this context. Using a LINAC capable of switching between FLASH and CONV irradiation, we here address the radiobiological effects on ARPE-19 cells, an in vitro RPE model, and the RPE of living mice. FLASH treatment demonstrated protective effects on ARPE-19 cells, enhancing cell viability and modulating cytokine expression (e.g., IL-6, IL-8). Furthermore, RPE tissue exhibited dose-dependent radiation sensitivity, with FLASH-irradiated mice performing better than CONV-treated ones. These findings indicate that FLASH radiotherapy may protect the RPE during ocular tumor treatment and provide insights into tissue-specific radiation sensitivity in the eye, supporting further research into its clinical applications.