Radiation-induced apoptosis of oligodendrocytes in vitro.
It has been suggested that glial cells and/or their progenitors are the primary target cells for radiation-induced demyelination. Cultures of terminally differentiated oligodendrocytes, immature oligodendrocytes, and O-2A progenitor cells were generated from the cerebral cortex and spinal cord of perinatal rat pups. Irradiation of cultures of terminally differentiated oligodendrocytes resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells from 15% in control to 30% in irradiated samples, with the maximum increase induced by 10 Gy. This increase in apoptosis could be observed by 1 h after irradiation with the maximum level reached at 3-6 h. Apoptotic cells were not detected before or after irradiation of cultures of O-2A progenitor cells or immature oligodendrocytes. These data suggest that radiation-induced apoptosis of terminally differentiated oligodendrocytes may be involved in early demyelination.
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
E
E
Vrdoljak
C A
CA
Bill
L C
LC
Stephens
A J
AJ
van der Kogel
K K
KK
Ang
P J
PJ
Tofilon
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis; D016923:Cell Death; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley