Histological assessment of canine acute intestinal injury model induced by radiation / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate acute intestinal injury models induced by radiation through histological analysis. Methods A total of 41 Beagle canines were randomized into control group (n=8) and 11 radiation groups (at dose of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 30Gy, 3 each group). Animals were given single-dose from X-ray delivered at dose rates of 250cGy/min using tridimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) on the abdomen, followed by histological analysis on the intestine. Results We successfully developed canine acute intestinal injury model using irradiation. The intestinal mucosal injury showed a dose-dependent manner. The greater radiation dose was received, the more severe pathological mucosal injury observed. For dogs that received 8Gy, their small intestine exhibited a slight grade of apoptosis and partial loss of the intestinal villi in the epithelial cells. For dogs that received moderate irradiation dose of 10-14Gy, we observed partially damaged mucosa, glandular dilatation, inflammatory infiltration, vascular congestion, and hemorrhage in their intestine tissue. For dogs that received the high dose of 16-30Gy, their intestine histologic changes included diffuse intestinal necrosis, erosions or exfoliation, as well as extensive congestion and bleeding. Conclusions A canine model of acute intestinal injury induced by irradiation in a dose-dependent manner was successfully established. This model would pave the foundation for better irradiation model development and be beneficial to develop novel and effective radioprotective agents.