Improved functionality of the vasculature during conventionally fractionated radiation therapy of prostate cancer

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 31;8(12):e84076. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084076. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Although endothelial cell apoptosis participates in the tumor shrinkage after single high-dose radiotherapy, little is known regarding the vascular response after conventionally fractionated radiation therapy. Therefore, we evaluated hypoxia, perfusion and vascular microenvironment changes in an orthotopic prostate cancer model of conventionally fractionated radiation therapy at clinically relevant doses (2 Gy fractions, 5 fractions/week). First, conventionally fractionated radiation therapy decreased tumor cell proliferation and increased cell death with kinetics comparable to human prostate cancer radiotherapy. Secondly, the injection of Hoechst 33342 or fluorescent-dextrans showed an increased tumor perfusion within 14 days in irradiated tumors, which was correlated with a clear reduction of hypoxia. Improved perfusion and decreased hypoxia were not explained by increased blood vessel density, size or network morphology. However, a tumor vascular maturation defined by perivascular desmin+/SMA+ cells coverage was clearly observed along with an increase in endothelial, zonula occludens (ZO)-1 positive, intercellular junctions. Our results show that, in addition to tumor cell killing, vascular maturation plays an uncovered role in tumor reoxygenation during fractionated radiation therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Cell Hypoxia / radiation effects*
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Dose Fractionation, Radiation*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Male
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / radiotherapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood supply*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / radiotherapy

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Institut National du Cancer (INCA PAIR-prostate 2010), the Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer, the Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer and the Région Pays de Loire. The funding source was not involved in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, preparation of the manuscript and decision to publish.