Radiation cystitis modeling: A comparative study of bladder fibrosis radio ‐sensitivity in C57BL/6, C3H, and BALB/c mice

Radiation cystitis, a severely debilitating condition characterized by fibrosis, vascular damage, and compromised bladder function, develops in cancer survivors who received pelvic radiation treatment. This is the first study to compare the effects of radiation on the bladder across different murine genetic backgrounds, which may explain differences in patients ’ sensitivity to developing radiation cystitis after radiation cancer treatment. AbstractA subset of patients receiving radiation therapy for pelvic cancer develop radiation cystitis, a complication characterized by mucosal cell death, inflammation, hematuria, and bladder fibrosis. Radiation cystitis can reduce bladder capacity, cause incontinence, and impair voiding function so severely that patients require surgical intervention. Factors influencing onset and severity of radiation cystitis are not fully known. We tested the hypothesis that genetic background is a contributing factor. We irradiated bladders of female C57BL/6, C3H, and BALB/c mice and evaluated urinary voiding function, bladder shape, histology, collagen composition, and distribution of collagen ‐producing cells. We found that the genetic background profoundly affects the severity of radiation‐induced bladder fibrosis and urinary voiding dysfunction. C57BL/6 mice are most susceptible and C3H mice are most resistant. Irradiated C57BL/6 mouse bladders are misshapen and express more abunda nt collagen I and III proteins than irradiated C3H and BALB/...
Source: Physiological Reports - Category: Physiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research