Sensitization of Endothelial Cells to Ionizing Radiation Exacerbates Delayed Radiation Myelopathy in Mice

Delayed radiation myelopathy is a rare, but significant late side effect from radiation therapy that can lead to paralysis. The cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to delayed radiation myelopathy are not completely understood but may be a consequence of damage to oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and vascular endothelial cells. Here, we aimed to determine the contribution of endothelial cell damage to the development of radiation-induced spinal cord injury using a genetically defined mouse model in which endothelial cells are sensitized to radiation due to loss of the tumor suppressor p53. Tie2Cre; p53FL/+ and Tie2Cre; p53FL/– mice, which lack one and both alleles of p53 in endothelial cells, respectively, were treated with focal irradiation that specifically targeted the lumbosacral region of the spinal cord. The development of hindlimb paralysis was followed for up to 18 weeks after either a 26.7 Gy or 28.4 Gy dose of radiation. During 18 weeks of follow-up, 83% and 100% of Tie2Cre; p53FL/– mice developed hindlimb paralysis after 26.7 and 28.4 Gy, respectively. In contrast, during this period only 8% of Tie2Cre; p53FL/+ mice exhibited paralysis after 28.4 Gy. In addition, 8 weeks after 28.4 Gy the irradiated spinal cord from Tie2Cre; p53FL/– mice showed a significantly higher fractional area positive for the neurological injury marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) compared with the irradiated spinal cord from Tie2Cre; p53FL/+ mice. Together, our findings show that deletion of p53 in endothelial cells sensitizes mice to the development of delayed radiation myelopathy indicating that endothelial cells are a critical cellular target of radiation that regulates myelopathy.