Histopathological changes of testes and eyes by neutron irradiation with boron compounds in mice.
This study was performed to investigate the biological effects of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) on the testes and eyes in mice using HANARO Nuclear Reactor, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. BNCT relies on the high capacity of 10B in capturing thermal neutrons. Sodium borocaptate (BSH, 75 ppm, iv) and boronophenylalanine (BPA, 750 ppm, ip) have been used as the boron delivery agents. Mice were irradiated with neutron (flux: 1.036739E +09, Fluence 9.600200E+12) by lying flat pose for 30 (10 Gy) or 100 min (33 Gy) with or without boron carrier treatment. In 45 days of irradiation, histopathological changes of the testes and eyes were examined. Thirty-three Gy neutron irradiation for 100 min induced testicular atrophy in which some of seminiferous tubules showed complete depletion of spermatogenic germ cells. Lens epithelial cells and lens fiber were swollen and showed granular changes in an exposure time dependent manner. However, boron carrier treatment had no significant effect on the lesions. These results suggest that the examination of histopathological changes of lens and testis can be used as "biological dosimeters" for gauging radiation responses and the HANARO Nuclear Reactor has sufficient capacities for the BNCT.
Kim
Yeon-Joo
YJ
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Korea.
Yoon
Won-Ki
WK
Ryu
Si-Yun
SY
Chun
Ki-Jung
KJ
Son
Hwa-Young
HY
Cho
Sung-Whan
SW
D000818:Animals; D001880:Boranes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001894:Borohydrides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009502:Neutrons; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001880:Boranes; D001894:Borohydrides; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C447034:boronophenylalaninol; C014651:mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate; D010649:Phenylalanine