Abstract
AbstractRadiotherapy is an effective treatment for breast cancer and other thoracic tumors. However, while high-energy radiotherapy treatment successfully kills cancer cells, radiation exposure of the heart and large arteries cannot always be avoided, resulting in secondary cardiovascular disease in cancer survivors. Radiation-induced changes in the cardiac vasculature may thereby lead to coronary artery atherosclerosis, which is a major cardiovascular complication nowadays in thoracic radiotherapy-treated patients. The underlying biological and molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced atherosclerosis are complex and still not fully understood, resulting in potentially improper radiation protection. Ionizing radiation (IR) exposure may damage the vascular endothelium by inducing DNA damage, oxidative stress, premature cellular senescence, cell death and inflammation, which act to promote the atherosclerotic process. Intercellular communication mediated by connexin (Cx)-based gap junctions and hemichannels may modulate IR-induced responses and thereby the atherosclerotic process. However, the role of endothelial Cxs and their channels in atherosclerotic development after IR exposure is still poorly defined. A better understanding of the underlying biological pathways involved in secondary cardiovascular toxicity after radiotherapy would facilitate the development of effective strategies that prevent or mitigate these adverse effects. Here, we review the possible roles of intercellular Cx driven signaling and communication in radiation-induced atherosclerosis.
Funder
Universiteit Gent
Fund for Scientific Research Flanders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Cell Biology,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,Pharmacology,Molecular Biology,Molecular Medicine
Reference228 articles.
1. Gaziano T, Reddy KS, Paccaud F (2006) Cardiovascular disease disease control priorities in developing countries. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Washington (DC)
2. Ramadan R (2019) The role of connexin-mediated intercellular communication in radiation-induced atherosclerosis, PhD thesis. Gent University
3. Yusuf S, Reddy S, Ounpuu S, Anand S (2001) Global burden of cardiovascular diseases: part I: general considerations, the epidemiologic transition, risk factors, and impact of urbanization. Circulation 104(22):2746–2753
4. Darby S, McGale P, Peto R, Granath F, Hall P, Ekbom A (2003) Mortality from cardiovascular disease more than 10 years after radiotherapy for breast cancer: nationwide cohort study of 90 000 Swedish women. BMJ 326(7383):256–257
5. Darby SC, Ewertz M, McGale P, Bennet AM, Blom-Goldman U, Bronnum D, Correa C, Cutter D, Gagliardi G, Gigante B, Jensen MB, Nisbet A, Peto R, Rahimi K, Taylor C, Hall P (2013) Risk of ischemic heart disease in women after radiotherapy for breast cancer. N Engl J Med 368(11):987–998. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1209825
Cited by
18 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献