Abstract
Microglia, the innate immune cells of the central nervous system, play a pivotal role in the modulation of neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation has been implicated in many diseases of the CNS, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. It is well documented that microglial activation, initiated by a variety of stressors, can trigger a potentially destructive neuroinflammatory response via the release of pro-inflammatory molecules, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. However, the potential anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects that microglia are also thought to exhibit have been under-investigated. The application of ionising radiation at different doses and dose schedules may reveal novel methods for the control of microglial response to stressors, potentially highlighting avenues for treatment of neuroinflammation associated CNS disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. There remains a need to characterise the response of microglia to radiation, particularly low dose ionising radiation.
Highlights
Ionising radiation (IR) as a diagnostic tool—such as X-ray, or positron emission tomography (PET)—and therapeutic technique has been widely used for decades in the pursuit of better health outcomes for patients [1]
This study clearly demonstrates the potential for low dose ionising radiation (LDIR) to be anti-neuroinflammatory in comparison to high doses of ionising radiation (HDIR) [118]
translocator protein (TSPO) is an attractive target for studying the effects of ionising radiation as it has been implicated in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS-mediated oxidative damage [213,214], and the addition of TSPO ligands, such as PK11195 or Midazolam, have been shown to reduce pro-inflammatory gene expression, accompanied by a reduction in activated microglia [215,216,217]
Summary
Ionising radiation (IR) as a diagnostic tool—such as X-ray, or positron emission tomography (PET)—and therapeutic technique has been widely used for decades in the pursuit of better health outcomes for patients [1] These methods use lower doses of ionising radiation, and are prescribed when the potential benefits to receiving the procedure outweigh the risks associated with IR [2]. Fundamental to this practice is the acceptance of the linear-no-threshold (LNT) model; the understanding that ionising radiation initiates detrimental effects to human health in a manner proportional to dosage [2,3]. As the term neuroinflammation continues to be used by many authors, this review, too, will refer all instances of microglial activation as to neuroinflammation in its broader meaning but specify the context within which the term needs to be interpreted
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