ABSTRACT Hashimoto et al., Rad Res Jun 1999

[Jim Muckerheide <jmuckerheide@delphi.com>]

Friends, ["Radiation science group", plus "ANS/industry group"]

Please review the abstract below. It confirms again that low-dose irradiation
(LDI) suppresses cancer, in this case, specifically metastases.  

Note the increase in CD8+ cells in splenocytes, and tumor-infiltrating
lymphocytes, that eliminate the cancer cells.  And: "In both spleen and tumor
tissue after low-dose TBI, mRNA expression of the genes that encode IFN-gamma
[interferon] and TNF-alpha [tumor necrosis factor-a] increased, while that of
the Tgfb [presumably a typo for TNF-b] gene decreased." And concluding: "CD8+
cells and the cytokine network may [Note: "MAY"] play an important role in the
[Note: "THE"] antitumor effect of low-dose TBI."

Please comment/review, and send the paper (electronic?) if possible. 

If you inquire, I can tell you whether we've gotten it. Please review anyway.

Thanks.

Regards, Jim
============
muckerheide@mediaone.net
Radiation, Science, and Health
Box 843, Needham, MA 02494
RSH 781-449-2214  fax 781-449-6464
(day) 508-820-2039 fax 508-820-2094 or -2049
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============================================

Radiat Res 1999 Jun;151(6):717-24

 The suppression of metastases and the change in host immune response after
low-dose total-body irradiation in tumor-bearing rats. 

 Hashimoto S, Shirato H, Hosokawa M, Nishioka T, Kuramitsu Y, Matushita K,
Kobayashi M, Miyasaka K 

 Department of Radiology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo,
Japan.

 We have shown that metastasis is suppressed by low-dose total-body
irradiation (TBI) in tumor-bearing rats. We have evaluated the immunological
effects of low-dose TBI. Total-body irradiation with 0.2 Gy was given 14 days
after the implantation of 5 x 10(5) allogenic hepatoma cells (KDH-8) which
produce transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). On day 21, the splenocytes
and tumor-tissue infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed by FACScan and RT-PCR
for the mRNA of the genes that encode tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha),
interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), TGF-beta, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-6.
The same procedure was conducted with untreated rats and with rats that
underwent local irradiation with 0.2 Gy. The low-dose TBI significantly
decreased the incidence of lung and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01), whereas
the same dose of local irradiation had no effect on the incidence of
metastasis. The proportion of CD8+ cells in splenocytes increased in the
low-dose TBI group (P < 0.01) compared to the locally irradiated and the
untreated groups. The tumor-tissue infiltrating lymphocytes were also
significantly increased after low-dose TBI (P < 0.01). The FACScan analysis
revealed that 72% of the tumor-tissue infiltrating lymphocytes were CD8+. In
both spleen and tumor tissue after low-dose TBI, mRNA expression of the genes
that encode IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha increased, while that of the Tgfb gene
decreased. There was no expression of the mRNAs of the Il4, Il6 and Il10
genes. CD8+ cells and the cytokine network may play an important role in the
antitumor effect of low-dose TBI.
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