Plasma Flt-3 ligand concentration correlated with radiation-induced bone marrow damage during local fractionated radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether variations in the plasma Flt-3 ligand (FL) concentration after radiotherapy (RT) may serve as a biomarker for radiation-induced bone marrow damage.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients were followed during RT. The irradiated bone marrow volume was determined. The blood cell counts and plasma FL concentrations were evaluated before and after RT. The expression of membrane-bound FL and mRNA expression were also defined in circulating blood cells.


RESULTS
We found a negative correlation between the plasma FL concentration and the number of circulating white blood cells and platelets during RT. Moreover, the overall amount of FL in the blood of patients during RT correlated directly with both the cumulated radiation dose and the proportion of irradiated bone marrow.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that the variations in plasma FL concentration directly reflect the radiation-induced bone marrow damage during fractionated local RT. We suggest a possible use for FL monitoring as a means to predict the occurrence of Grade 3-4 leukopenia or thrombocytopenia during the course of RT.
Huchet
Aymeri
A
Service de Radiothérapie, Hôpital Européen G. Pompidou, Paris, France.
Belkacémi
Yazid
Y
Frick
Johanna
J
Prat
Marie
M
Muresan-Kloos
Ioanna
I
Altan
Dan
D
Chapel
Alain
A
Gorin
Norbert Claude
NC
Gourmelon
Patrick
P
Bertho
Jean Marc
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C084881:flt3 ligand protein