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Understanding the Mechanism of Radiation Damage to Human Skin
José Antonio Arellano, MD1, Yusuf Surucu, MD1, Vincent Nerone, BA1, Katherine S. Yang, BS1, Alexey V. Altman1, Rakib ul Islam1, Zayaan Trimzi1, Baris Bengur, MD; Shawn Loder, MD; Jeffrey A. Gusenoff, MD; Francesco Egro1, Asim Ejaz, PhD1
UPMC
2023-01-31
Presenter: José Antonio Arellano
Affidavit:
Peter J. Rubin
Director Name: Peter J. Rubin
Author Category: Fellow Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Basic Science Research
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Introduction: Radiation-induced skin fibrosis is one of the main adverse effects of radiation therapy for cancer treatment. In theory, Radiation fibrosis syndrome is caused by the overactivation of fibroblast, activation of CD4+ T cell, Th17 differentiation, and the release of TGF-B that promotes fibroblast that induces collagenases and breaks down type III collagen and replaces it with type I collagen. There are few animal models available but due to anatomical differences to humans the translation of the data is difficult. Our human perfusion model provides a better understanding in normal physiological changes
Methods: We use our perfusion model, which consists of a human tissue sample recovered after a dermolipectomy. Once we have the tissue, we dissect the superficial inferior epigastric artery and cannulated it and perfuse it with special culture media. On the first day after cannulation, we induced radiation of 20gy and 40gy to the skin and took punch biopsies on days 3, 6, 12, and 16. The samples were stained with H&E and Masson´s Trichrome to analyze for collagen deposition and fibrotic changes.
Results: H&E staining showed an increase of inflammation in the dermis along with epidermis/dermis separation as well as changes in the top part of the dermis that suggest fibrosis. Masson's Trichrome shows an increase in the fibrotic deposition in the dermis.
Conclusions: Our system can be used to recreate fibrotic reactions and can be used to study the mechanism which induces fibrosis in the skin and test for possible therapeutic options to prevent radiation-induced fibrosis.
