CERN Academic Training on hadron therapy - Heavy ions radiobiology: strengths and challenges for cancer treatment

AbstractRadiobiology is&nbsp;a branch of science that studies the effects of ionizing radiation on biological tissues and their cellular and molecular components. It is a key field of research for the medical use of&nbsp;radiation&nbsp;for the treatment of cancer patients. This lecture focuses on the radiobiology of heavy ions used in hadron therapy, highlighting the opportunities and challenges for cancer treatment.Bio - Angelica FacoettiGraduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Pavia, Angelica Facoetti holds a PhD in Cell Biology. First as a post-PhD and then as a full-time researcher, she worked at the Department of Nuclear Physics of the University of Pavia where she carried out in collaboration with the Department of Biology research activities on the cellular effects of ionising radiation. In 2006 she obtained the European Master Degree in Radiation Biology at the University College of London and subsequently the title of Specialization in Clinical Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Pavia. Her experimental research activity, documented by more than 50 peer reviewed scientific publications (complete list at the following link:&nbsp;https://scholar.google.it/citations?hl=it&amp;user=-nl8814AAAAJ) is focused on the different aspects of cell biology applied to medicine and physics, focusing on the study of underlying mechanisms involved in the effects of various types of ionizing radiations, on tumor and normal cells. She is adjunct professor of Applied Biology at the University of Milan for the School of Specialization in Medical Physics and of Biology, Anatomy and Physiology for the master's degree in Physical Sciences at the University of Pavia. Since 2010 she is responsible for the radiobiological experimental activities at the National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) of Pavia. Since 2021 she is Council member of The European Radiation Research Society (ERRS).&nbsp;</p

IL-8 and IL-6 bystander signalling in human gliobalstoma cells exposed to gamma radiation

BACKGROUND: Exposure of cells to ionising radiation causes the release of several factors, such as cytokines, which are likely to be involved in some biological effects occurring in the irradiated cells and in the neighbouring non-irradiated cells (i.e. bystander effect). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The release of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in the culture medium of irradiated human glioblastoma cells was investigated using an ELISA technique. Immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the expression of corresponding cell membrane receptors in irradiated cells and in cells cultured with medium collected from irradiated cells. RESULTS: The exposure to radiation determined an increase of IL-6 concentration which was dose dependent at 20 hours, whereas IL-8 release was lower than control shortly after irradiation but increased with time, in particular at the dose of 0.5. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that these cytokines are differently modulated by radiation and are likely to play a role in the transmission of radiation-induced response, probably orchestrating the inflammatory microenvironment of the tumour

Some consideration for the study of TGFβ in medium of irradiated T98G cells: activation, release and consumption

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) has been proposed as a candidate for the transmission of radiation-induced bystander signals. AIM: To assess the influence that the presence of latent TGFβ in the medium may have on the modulation of TGFβ1 release and on its receptor (TGFβR2) expression after irradiation of glioblastoma cells or after treatment with medium collected from γ-irradiated cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: T98G cells cultured with a complete medium or a serum-free medium were irradiated with 0.25 and 1 Gy and the concentration of total TGFβ1 was measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Irradiation of cells growing with a complete medium (i.e. a medium containing latent TGFβ1, LTGFβ1) caused a consistent dose-dependent decrease of the TGFβ1 available in the medium. When LTGFβ1 was not available in the medium (i.e. a medium without serum supplement), the levels of TGFβ1 increased significantly. Changes in the pattern of expression of TGFβR2 were evident only when a serum-free medium was use