放射治疗(RT)是多发性胸部恶性肿瘤的有效治疗选择,包括肺癌,胸腺肿瘤,和气管癌。放射性肺损伤(RILI)是放射治疗的严重并发症。辐射引起肺细胞和组织的损伤。多种因素导致放射性肺损伤的进展,包括基因改变,氧化应激,和炎症反应。尤其是,辐射源通过水分子的直接激发和电离促进氧化应激的发生,这导致水分子的分解和活性氧(ROS)的产生,活性氮物种(RNS)。随后,活性氧和活性氮的过量产生可引起DNA的氧化损伤。免疫细胞和多种信号分子在整个过程中起着重要作用。间充质干细胞(MSCs)是具有多向分化潜能的多能干细胞,正在研究治疗放射性肺损伤。间充质干细胞可以通过靶向多种信号分子来调节免疫细胞并控制抗氧化剂和促氧化剂之间的平衡来保护正常肺细胞免受损伤。从而抑制炎症和纤维化。基因修饰的间充质干细胞可以提高间充质干细胞的自然功能,包括细胞存活,组织再生,和归巢。这些重编程的间充质干细胞可以产生所需的产物,包括细胞因子,受体,和酶,这有助于间充质干细胞治疗应用的进一步发展。这里,本文综述了放射性肺损伤的分子机制,并讨论了间充质干细胞在预防和治疗放射性肺损伤方面的潜力。这些关键问题的澄清将使骨髓间充质干细胞成为临床上治疗放射性肺损伤的更奇妙的新策略。读者可以在这个领域有一个全面的了解。
Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective treatment option for multiple thoracic malignant tumors, including lung cancers, thymic cancers, and tracheal cancers. Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a serious complication of radiotherapy. Radiation causes damage to the pulmonary cells and tissues. Multiple factors contribute to the progression of Radiation-induced lung injury, including genetic alterations, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses. Especially, radiation sources contribute to oxidative stress occurrence by direct excitation and ionization of water molecules, which leads to the decomposition of water molecules and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Subsequently, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species overproduction can induce oxidative DNA damage. Immune cells and multiple signaling molecules play a major role in the entire process. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells with multiple differentiation potentials, which are under investigation to treat radiation-induced lung injury. Mesenchymal stem cells can protect normal pulmonary cells from injury by targeting multiple signaling molecules to regulate immune cells and to control balance between antioxidants and prooxidants, thereby inhibiting inflammation and fibrosis. Genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells can improve the natural function of mesenchymal stem cells, including cellular survival, tissue regeneration, and homing. These reprogrammed mesenchymal stem cells can produce the desired products, including cytokines, receptors, and enzymes, which can contribute to further advances in the therapeutic application of mesenchymal stem cells. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced lung injury and discuss the potential of Mesenchymal stem cells for the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced lung injury. Clarification of these key issues will make mesenchymal stem cells a more fantastic novel therapeutic strategy for radiation-induced lung injury in clinics, and the readers can have a comprehensive understanding in this fields.