TY - JOUR
T1 - Antibiotic-Induced Gut Microbiota Depletion Accelerates the Recovery of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Rats
AU - Al-Qadami, Ghanyah
AU - Verma, Gunjan
AU - Van Sebille, Ysabella
AU - Le, Hien
AU - Hewson, Ian
AU - Bateman, Emma
AU - Wardill, Hannah
AU - Bowen, Joanne
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was partially funded by the Australian Dental Research Foundation
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2022/7/15
Y1 - 2022/7/15
N2 - Purpose: Due to its pivotal role in the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, the gut microbiota has emerged as a key modulator of cancer treatment-induced gastrointestinal mucositis. However, it is not clear yet how it affects radiation therapy-induced oral mucositis (OM). As such, this study aimed to explore the gut microbiota's role in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced OM in rats. Methods and Materials: Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with 20 Gy x-ray radiation (Rx) delivered to the snout, with or without antibiotic-induced microbiota depletion (AIMD). OM severity was assessed, and tongue tissues were collected on day 9 and 15 postradiation for tissue injury and inflammatory markers assessment. Results: AIMD+Rx had a significantly shorter duration of severe OM compared with Rx alone group. Macroscopically, the tongue ulcer-like area was smaller in AIMD+Rx compared with the Rx group. Microscopically, a smaller percentage of the mucosal ulcer was observed in the dorsal tongue of AIMD+Rx compared with the Rx group. AIMD+Rx also had significantly lower levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 1 beta, and toll like receptor 4 in the tongue tissues than the Rx group. Conclusions: The gut microbiota plays a role in OM pathogenesis, mainly in the recovery phase, through the modulation of proinflammatory pathways. Future microbiota-targeted interventions may improve OM in clinical settings.
AB - Purpose: Due to its pivotal role in the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, the gut microbiota has emerged as a key modulator of cancer treatment-induced gastrointestinal mucositis. However, it is not clear yet how it affects radiation therapy-induced oral mucositis (OM). As such, this study aimed to explore the gut microbiota's role in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced OM in rats. Methods and Materials: Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with 20 Gy x-ray radiation (Rx) delivered to the snout, with or without antibiotic-induced microbiota depletion (AIMD). OM severity was assessed, and tongue tissues were collected on day 9 and 15 postradiation for tissue injury and inflammatory markers assessment. Results: AIMD+Rx had a significantly shorter duration of severe OM compared with Rx alone group. Macroscopically, the tongue ulcer-like area was smaller in AIMD+Rx compared with the Rx group. Microscopically, a smaller percentage of the mucosal ulcer was observed in the dorsal tongue of AIMD+Rx compared with the Rx group. AIMD+Rx also had significantly lower levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 1 beta, and toll like receptor 4 in the tongue tissues than the Rx group. Conclusions: The gut microbiota plays a role in OM pathogenesis, mainly in the recovery phase, through the modulation of proinflammatory pathways. Future microbiota-targeted interventions may improve OM in clinical settings.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133626225&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.03.036
DO - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.03.036
M3 - Article
C2 - 35398457
AN - SCOPUS:85133626225
SN - 0360-3016
VL - 113
SP - 845
EP - 858
JO - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
JF - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
IS - 4
ER -