Low dose radiation-induced endothelial cell retraction.

We characterized in vitro the effects of gamma-radiation (12.5-100 cGy) on pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (PMEC) morphology and F-actin organization. Cellular retraction was documented by phase-contrast microscopy and the organization of actin microfilaments was determined by immunofluorescence. Characterization included radiation dose effects, their temporal duration and reversibility of the effects. A dose-dependent relationship between the level of exposure (12.5-100 cGy) and the rate and extent of endothelial retraction was observed. Moreover, analysis of radiation-induced depolymerization of F-actin microfilament stress fibres correlated positively with the changes in PMEC morphology. The depolymerization of the stress fibre bundles was dependent on radiation dose and time. Cells recovered from exposure to reform contact inhibited monolayers > or = 24 h post-irradiation. Concomitantly, the depolymerized microfilaments reorganized to their preirradiated state as microfilament stress fibres arrayed parallel to the boundaries of adjacent contact-inhibited cells. The data presented here are representative of a series of studies designed to characterize low-dose radiation effects on pulmonary microvascular endothelium. Our data suggest that post-irradiation lung injuries (e.g. oedema) may be induced with only a single fraction of therapeutic radiation, and thus microscopic oedema may initiate prior to the lethal effects of radiation on the microvascular endothelium, and much earlier than would be suggested by the time course for clinically-detectable oedema.