Effects of amifostine on radiation-induced cardiac damage.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether administration of amifostine prior to irradiation could reduce radiation damage of the rat heart. Female Spraque-Dawley rats were randomized to receive single-dose irradiation (0-22.5 Gy) locally to the heart.

Radiation-induced changes in gene expression and distribution of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in different anatomical regions of the rat heart.

Purpose: To examine the effects of whole-heart irradiation on gene expression and distribution of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in atrial appendages and left ventricles of the rat heart.

Material And Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were irradiated with a single dose of 0, 15 or 20 Gy locally to the heart. At intervals up to 16 months post-irradiation, the localization of ANP was examined using immunohistochemical techniques.

Structural changes in the auricles of the rat heart after local ionizing irradiation.

Background And Purpose: Irradiation of the heart may lead to late cardiovascular complications and depending on the dose to cardiac-related death. There is increasing evidence that left atrial appendages play an important role in left ventricular filling especially in cardiac disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the radiation response of the atria of the rat heart (auricles in particular) at morphological, histological and transcriptional level.

Circulating atrial natriuretic peptide plasma levels as a marker for cardiac damage after radiotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate whether plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) could be used to identify patients with radiation mediated cardiac dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: Circulating levels of ANP were measured in patients who have been irradiated on a large part of the heart (50-80%; Hodgkin's disease) or smaller part of the heart (20-30%; primary breast cancer). C-terminal ANP was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) using a commercial kit.

Myocardial enzyme activities in plasma after whole-heart irradiation in rats.

Plasma levels of myocardial enzymes present after local heart irradiation were studied in a rat model. The purpose was to investigate whether, within days after irradiation, these enzyme levels change to such an extent that they may be helpful in assessing the severity of cardiac damage after radiotherapy. Therefore, activities of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (alpha-HBDH) were determined in the plasma and left ventricular myocardium of rats following local heart irradiation with a single dose of 20 Gy.