Radiation injury to cardiac arteries and myocardium is reduced by soy isoflavones.

Objective: The negative effects of incidental radiation on the heart and its vessels, particularly in the treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal cancer, left-sided breast cancer, and lymphoma, are known. Late cardiac events induced by radiotherapy including coronary artery disease, ischemia, congestive heart failure, and myocardial infarction can manifest months to years after radiotherapy. We have previously demonstrated that soy isoflavones mitigate inflammatory responses induced in lungs by thoracic irradiation resulting in decreased vascular damage, inflammation, and fibrosis.

Innate Immune Pathways Associated with Lung Radioprotection by Soy Isoflavones.

Introduction: Radiation therapy for lung cancer causes pneumonitis and fibrosis. Soy isoflavones protect against radiation-induced lung injury, but the mediators of radioprotection remain unclear. We investigated the effect of radiation on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the lung and their modulation by soy isoflavones for a potential role in protection from radiation-induced lung injury.

Radiotherapy and MVA-MUC1-IL-2 vaccine act synergistically for inducing specific immunity to MUC-1 tumor antigen.

Background: We previously demonstrated that tumor irradiation potentiates cancer vaccines using genetic modification of tumor cells in murine tumor models. To investigate whether tumor irradiation augments the immune response to MUC1 tumor antigen, we have tested the efficacy of tumor irradiation combined with an MVA-MUC1-IL2 cancer vaccine (Transgene TG4010) for murine renal adenocarcinoma (Renca) cells transfected with MUC1.

Methods: Established subcutaneous Renca-MUC1 tumors were treated with 8 Gy radiation on day 11 and peritumoral injections of MVA-MUC1-IL2 vector on day 12 and 17, or using a reverse sequence of vaccine followed by radiation.

Soy Isoflavones Promote Radioprotection of Normal Lung Tissue by Inhibition of Radiation-Induced Activation of Macrophages and Neutrophils.

Introduction: Radiation therapy for lung cancer is limited by toxicity to normal lung tissue that results from an inflammatory process, leading to pneumonitis and fibrosis. Soy isoflavones mitigate inflammatory infiltrates and radiation-induced lung injury, but the cellular immune mediators involved in the radioprotective effect are unknown.

Methods: Mice received a single dose of 10 Gy radiation delivered to the lungs and daily oral treatment of soy isoflavones.

Radiation-Induced Esophagitis is Mitigated by Soy Isoflavones.

Introduction: Lung cancer patients receiving radiotherapy present with acute esophagitis and chronic fibrosis, as a result of radiation injury to esophageal tissues. We have shown that soy isoflavones alleviate pneumonitis and fibrosis caused by radiation toxicity to normal lung. The effect of soy isoflavones on esophagitis histopathological changes induced by radiation was investigated.

Radioprotection of lung tissue by soy isoflavones.

Introduction: Radiation-induced pneumonitis and fibrosis have restricted radiotherapy for lung cancer. In a preclinical lung tumor model, soy isoflavones showed the potential to enhance radiation damage in tumor nodules and simultaneously protect normal lung from radiation injury. We have further dissected the role of soy isoflavones in the radioprotection of lung tissue.

Impaired dendritic cell function in aging leads to defective antitumor immunity.

We recently reported that bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) from aged miced are less effective than their young counterparts in inducing the regression of B16-ovalbumin (OVA) melanomas. To examine the underlying mechanisms, we investigated the effect of aging on DC tumor antigen presentation and migration. Although aging does not affect the ability of DCs to present OVA peptide((257-264)), DCs from aged mice are less efficient than those from young mice in stimulating OVA-specific T cells in vitro.