title: Thalidomide ameliorates inflammation and vascular injury but aggravates tubular damage in the irradiated mouse kidney.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The late side effects of kidney irradiation include vascular damage and fibrosis, which are promoted by an irradiation-induced inflammatory response. We therefore treated kidney-irradiated mice with the anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis-modulating drug thalidomide in an attempt to prevent the development of late normal tissue damage and radiation nephropathy in the mouse kidney.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kidneys of C57Bl/6 mice were irradiated with a single dose of 14 Gy. Starting from week 16 after irradiation, the mice were fed with thalidomide-containing chow (100 mg/kg body weight/day). Gene expression and kidney histology were analyzed at 40 weeks and blood samples at 10, 20, 30, and 40 weeks after irradiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thalidomide improved the vascular structure and vessel perfusion after irradiation, associated with a normalization of pericyte coverage. The drug also reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells but could not suppress the development of fibrosis. Irradiation-induced changes in hematocrit and blood urea nitrogen levels were not rescued by thalidomide. Moreover, thalidomide worsened tubular damage after irradiation and also negatively affected basal tubular function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thalidomide improved the inflammatory and vascular side effects of kidney irradiation but could not reverse tubular toxicity, which probably prevented preservation of kidney function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Stress Response, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.scharpfenecker@nki.nl.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scharpfenecker
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Stress Response, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Floot
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nicola S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiation Oncology and Cell Biology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Coppes
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Stress Response, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D020571:Genes, sis / Q000187:drug effects; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009393:Nephritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013792:Thalidomide