Xiaozhuo Ran, Bell Xi Wu, Venkatasubramanian Vidhyasagar1, Lifang Song, Xu Zhang, Reese Jalal Ladak, Mona Teng, Wail Ba-alawi, Vivek Philip, Housheng H. He, Nahum Sonenberg & Benjamin H. Lok

PARP inhibitor radiosensitization enhances anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy through stabilizing chemokine mRNA in small cell lung cancer

Immunotherapy (IO) is an effective treatment for various cancers; however, the benefits aremodest for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The poor response of SCLC to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 IOis due in part to the lack of cytotoxic T cells because of limited chemokine expression from SCLC tumors. Immunogenic radiosensitizers that enhance chemokine expression may be a promising strategy forward.

Wenqing Liu, Qijing Lei, Ans M. M. van Pelt, & Geert Hamer

Repeated ionizing radiation exposure induces TRIP13 expression, conferring radioresistance in lung cancer cells

Radiation therapy is a common treatment modality for lung cancer, and resistance to radiation can significantly affect treatment outcomes. We recently described that lung cancer cells that express more germ cell cancer genes (GC genes, genes that are usually restricted to the germ line) can repair DNA double-strand breaks more rapidly, show higher rates of proliferation and are more resistant to ionizing radiation than cells that express fewer GC genes.

Svenja K. Tetzlaff, Ekin Reyhan, Nikolas Layer, Franz L. Ricklefs, Dieter Henrik Heiland, Varun Venkataramani

Characterizing and targeting glioblastoma neuron-tumor networks with retrograde tracing

Glioblastomas are invasive brain tumors with high therapeutic resistance. Neuron-to-glioma synapses have been shown to promote glioblastoma progression. However, a characterization of tumor-connected neurons has been hampered by a lack of technologies.

Vladimir Wischnewski, Paola Guerrero Aruffo, Matteo Massara, Roeltje R. Maas,Klara Soukup, and Johanna A. Joyce

The Local Microenvironment Suppresses the Synergy Between Irradiation and Anti-PD1 Therapy in Breast-to-Brain Metastasis

The study utilized Precision X-Ray, Inc’s advanced SmART+ (Small Animal Image-Guided Radiotherapy) irradiator to deliver precise, hypo-fractionated radiotherapy (RT), replicating cutting-edge clinical stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). While combined high-dose RT and anti-PD1 therapy proved effective for extracranial tumors, it was less successful in BrM due to localized immune suppression. These findings identify neutrophils and Trem2 macrophages as critical therapeutic targets.

Carnero, Michel, PhD.

Bioluminescence (BLI) & Chemiluminescence Imaging using Irradiators

Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence are captivating phenomena involving the emission of light through biological processes and chemical reactions, respectively

Wenqing Liu, Jan Willem Bruggeman, Qijing Lei, Ans M. M. van Pelt, Jan Koster & Geert Hamer

Germline specific genes increase DNA double-strand break repair and radioresistance in lung adenocarcinoma cells

In a study at the University of Amsterdam, researchers examine the effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on various cell lines using clonogenic assays. Cells were exposed to 0-8 Gy of IR in the CellRad system and monitored for colony formation over 14 days. Results showed the CellRad system's precision in delivering consistent radiation doses, enabling accurate analysis of cell survival and replication. Additionally, the CellRad system facilitated immunofluorescent staining of γ-H2AX and RAD51, providing insights into DNA damage and repair processes.

Seyed Mahbod Baharnoori; Mohammad Soleimani; Hamed Massoumi; Mohammad Javad Ashraf; Madhurima Chaudhuri; Elmira Jalilian; Ali R Djalilian

A deep dive into radiation keratopathy; going beyond the current frontiers

in a recent study aiming to create a mouse model of radiation keratopathy to explore its pathophysiology and potential treatments. Conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago, 36 mice were irradiated with doses from 5.00 to 30.00 Gray. Results showed dose-dependent increases in corneal neovascularization, opacity, cellular senescence, and nerve damage, establishing a strong model for future research.

Fanghui Chen, Chris Tang, Fan Yan, Asari Ekpenyong, Richard Qin, Jin Xie, Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, Nabil F. Saba, Yong Teng

HSP90 inhibition suppresses tumor glycolytic flux to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer

This research focused on improving antitumor immunity by inhibiting HSP90, a protein that supports tumor growth. By using ganetespib, an HSP90 inhibitor, researchers were able to block key enzymes involved in tumor metabolism, enhancing the immune response against the tumor.

Canan Koksal Akbas, Federica Vurro, Claudio Fiorino, Cesare Cozzarini, Francesco Cavaliere, Paolo Milani, Sara Broggi, Antonella Del Vecchio, Nadia Di Muzio, Carlo Tacchetti, Antonello Enrico Spinelli

Preclinical photon minibeam radiotherapy using a custom collimator: Dosimetry characterization and preliminary in-vivo results on a glioma model

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric characteristics of a collimator for minibeam radiotherapy (MBRT) with film dosimetry and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The outcome of MBRT with respect to conventional RT using a glioma preclinical model was also evaluated.

Irma Telarovic, Carmen S. M. Yong, Lisa Kurz, Irene Vetrugno, Sabrina Reichl, Alba Sanchez Fernandez, Hung-Wei Cheng, Rona Winkler, Matthias Guckenberger, Anja Kipar, Burkhard Ludewig & Martin Pruschy

Delayed tumor-draining lymph node irradiation preserves the efficacy of combined radiotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade in models of metastatic disease

Cancer resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors motivated investigations into leveraging the immunostimulatory properties of radiotherapy to overcome immune evasion and to improve treatment response. However, clinical benefits of radiotherapy-immunotherapy combinations have been modest. Routine concomitant tumor-draining lymph node irradiation (DLN IR) might be the culprit.