Radiation produces differential changes in cytokine profiles in radiation lung fibrosis sensitive and resistant mice

BACKGROUND Recent research has supported that a variety of cytokines play important roles during radiation-induced lung toxicity. The present study is designed to investigate the differences in early cytokine induction after radiation in sensitive (C57BL/6) and resistant mice (C3H). RESULTS Twenty-two cytokines in the lung tissue homogenates, bronchial lavage (BAL) fluids, and serum from 3, 6, 12, 24 hrs to 1 week after 12 Gy whole lung irradiation were profiled using a microsphere-based multiplexed cytokine assay. The majority of cytokines had similar baseline levels in C57BL/6 and C3H mice, but differed significantly after radiation. Many, including granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) were elevated significantly in specimens from both strains. They usually peaked at about 3-6 hrs in C57BL/6 and 6-12 hrs in C3H. At 6 hrs in lung tissue, G-CSF, IL-6, and KC increased 6, 8, and 11 fold in C57BL/6 mice, 4, 3, and 3 fold in the C3H mice, respectively. IL-6 was 10-fold higher at 6 hrs in the C57BL/6 BAL fluid than the C3H BAL fluid. MCP-1, IP-10, and IL-1alpha also showed some differences between strains in the lung tissue and/or serum. For the same cytokine and within the same strain of mice, there were significant linear correlations between lung tissue and BAL fluid levels (R2 ranged 0.46-0.99) and between serum and tissue (R2 ranged 0.56-0.98). CONCLUSION Radiation induced earlier and greater temporal changes in multiple cytokines in the pulmonary fibrosis sensitive mice. Positive correlation between serum and tissue levels suggests that blood may be used as a surrogate marker for tissue.