Irradiation sensitivity of human and porcine mesenchymal stem cells

Surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combinations thereof are a plethora of possible treatment modalities of head and neck malignancies. Treatment regimens including radiotherapy however put jaws at risk of subsequent osteoradionecrosis. Besides cancer cells, irradiation impacts on all tissue-inherent cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Since it is the bone and bone marrow MSC, which contributes to bone regeneration through proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of its progeny, the influence of irradiation on MSC viability and the respective differentiation capacity appears to be critical. However to date, only a few reports picked MSCs role out as a pivotal topic. As a first attempt, we irradiated human bone derived MSC in vitro. With increasing doses the cells self-renewal capabilities were greatly reduced. Notably however, the mitotically stalled cells were still capable of differentiating into osteoblasts and preadipocytes. Next, the mandibles of Sus scrofa domestica were irradiated with a total dose of 18 Gy. At different time points post radiatio, MSCs were isolated from bone autopsies. In comparison between irradiated and non- irradiated samples, no significant differences regarding the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation potential of tissue specific MSC became apparent Therefore, pig mandibles were irradiated with doses of 9 and 18 Gy, and MSCs were isolated immediately afterwards. No significant differences between the untreated and bone irradiated with 9 Gy with respect of proliferation and osteogenic differentiation were observed. Cells isolated from 18 Gy irradiated specimens exhibited a greatly reduced osteogenic differentiation capacity, and during the first two weeks proliferation rates of explanted cells were greatly diminished. Thereafter, cells recovered and showed proliferation behaviour comparable to control samples. These results imply that MSCs can cope with irradiation up to relatively high doses. Whether MSCs are protected by the local surrounding tissues, their niche, or are capable of migrating into the affected area has to be defined in future experiments. (author)