Advances in the study of the molecular biological mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury

Chen Gan; Wen Li; Jian Xu; Lulian Pang; Lingxue Tang; Sheng Yu; Anlong Li; Han Ge; Runze Huang; Huaidong Cheng

Advances in the study of the molecular biological mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury

Am J Cancer Res. 2023 Aug 15;13(8):3275-3299. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Chen Gan^{1

2}, Wen Li^{1

2}, Jian Xu^{1

2}, Lulian Pang^{1

2}, Lingxue Tang^{1

2}, Sheng Yu^{1

2}, Anlong Li^{1

2}, Han Ge^{1

2}, Runze Huang^{1

2}, Huaidong Cheng^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei, Anhui, China.
² Department of Oncology, Anhui Medical University Hefei, Anhui, China.
³ Department of Oncology, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

PMID: 37693137
PMCID: PMC10492106

Abstract

Radiation therapy is one of the most commonly used treatments for head and neck cancers, but it often leads to radiation-induced brain injury. Patients with radiation-induced brain injury have a poorer quality of life, and no effective treatments are available. The pathogenesis of this condition is unknown. This review summarizes the molecular biological mechanism of radiation-induced brain injury and provides research directions for future studies. The molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced brain injury are diverse and complex. Radiation-induced chronic neuroinflammation, destruction of the blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress, neuronal damage, and physiopathological responses caused by specific exosome secretion lead to radiation-induced brain injury.

Keywords: Brain injury; blood-brain barrier; exosomes; ionizing radiation; neuroinflammation.

Publication types

Review