ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Bone marrow derived CD11b+ myelomonocytes have been shown to be recruited by the tumour and to promote tumour regrowth after irradiation. Here we investigated in a panel of well characterised hSCC tumour models the number of tumour-infiltrating CD11b+ cells and the association with response to clinically relevant fractionated irradiation. METHODS: Six hSCC tumour models (UT-SCC-5, -14, -15, XF354, FaDu, SAS) xenografted in nude mice were excised after injection of pimonidazole hypoxia marker before irradiation and after 5 and 10 fractions. In parallel, TCD(50) (dose to cure 50% of the tumours) assays were performed to determine the response to 30 fractions within 6 weeks. The TCD(50) values have been previously published [1]. Double staining of CD11b and pimonidazole was performed using immunofluorescence. CD11b+ cells were counted in viable pimonidazole-negative areas (non-hypoxic) and pimonidazole-positive areas (hypoxic) of whole tumour cross-sections. RESULTS: The median number of tumour-infiltrating CD11b+ cells either decreased or remained unchanged after 5 and 10 fractions in most of the tumour models. The density of CD11b+ cells in hypoxic areas was similar or lower than in non-hypoxic regions independently on treatment in majority of the tumour models. After 10 fractions the median CD11b+ cell density was significantly associated with the TCD(50) values after 30 fractions. CONCLUSION: The data from our exploratory study suggest that tumour-infiltrating CD11b+ cells may contribute to local tumour control after fractionated irradiation, which supports to further study their prognostic value and to evaluate specific myelomonocyte targeting strategies to overcome radiation resistance.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/immunology , CD11b Antigen/radiation effects , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex/radiation effects , Animals , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Dose Fractionation, Radiation , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Mice , Mice, Nude , Neoplasm Transplantation , Predictive Value of Tests , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Tolerance/immunology , Random Allocation , Transplantation, HeterologousABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study investigated the uptake of [(18)F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose ([(18)F]FDG) in the human tumour xenograft FaDu at early time points after single dose irradiation with Positron-Emission-Tomography (PET), autoradiography and functional histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: [(18)F]FDG-PET of FaDu hSCC xenografts on nude mice was performed before 25 Gy or 35 Gy single dose irradiation and one, seven or 11 days post irradiation (p.irr.). Before the second PET, mice were injected with pimonidazole (pimo) and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). After the PET tumours were excised, sliced and subjected to autoradiography and functional histology staining (pimo, BrdU, Ki67). [(18)F]FDG tumour uptake was quantified in the PET scans by maximal standard uptake value (SUV(max)) and in the autoradiography after co-registration to the histology slices. RESULTS: No differences in the overall [(18)F]FDG uptake between the two dose groups and time points were found with PET or autoradiography. Comparing autoradiography and histology, the [(18)F]FDG uptake was constant in tumour necrosis over time, while it decreased in vital tumour areas and particularly in hypoxic regions. No differences in the [(18)F]FDG uptake between positive and negative areas of Ki67 and BrdU were found. CONCLUSIONS: The decline of [(18)F]FDG uptake in vital tumour and in pimopositive areas as seen in autoradiography, was not reflected by evaluation of SUV(max) determined by PET. These findings suggest that the SUV(max) does not necessarily reflect changes in tumour biology after irradiation.
