NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ABNORMALITIES AFTER PERINATAL IONIZING RADIATION EXPOSURE (

GUELMAN LR; PAGOTTO, R. M. L; DI TORO, C. G; DI TORO, P. G; ROBELLO, E; MICHELIN, S; DUBNER, D; PÉREZ, M. R; GISONE, P; ZIEHER LM

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Congreso; XII Meeting of the Society for Free Radical Research International (SFRRI); 2004

Society for Free Radical Research International

It is well known that ionizing radiation is able to preferentially damage dividing cells through a mechanism that, at least in part, involves reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. For this reason, developing Central Nervous System (CNS) is especially sensitive to radiation effects. Perinatal ionizing radiation exposure induces permanent abnormalities in cerebellar cortex cytoarchitecture and neurochemistry, as well as impairment in motor gait. Moreover, neonatal rats exposed to ionizing radiations experienced spatial memory deficits in their adulthood, in association with several morphological changes in cerebellum and hippocampus. Also an in vitro model of radiation-induced damage demonstrated a high radiosensitivity of immature cerebellar granule cells. In addition, changes in nitric oxide (NO) levels were found in developing cerebral cortex. Therefore, the rodent model constitutes a useful tool to evaluate morphological, neurochemical and motor changes induced by ionizing radiation and the possible restorative effects of potential or clearly established neuroprotective drugs. Data of our laboratory have shown that exogenously added iron chelators, as well as free radical scavengers, might contribute to protect cells from free radical injury. These results suggest that it is possible to counteract radiation-induced injury in brain and cerebellum through administration of agents capable of blocking ROS damage.