Establishment of a Single Dose Radiation Model of Oral Mucositis in Mice

Ryu, Seung Hee; Moon, Soo Young; Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Jong Hoon; Ahn, Seung Do; Song, Si Yeol; Park, Jin hong; Noh, Young Ju; Lee, Sang wook

Abstract

PURPOSE
Oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy to the head and neck area, is a common acute complication and is considered as the most severe symptom for cancer patients in the early stages of treatment. This study was proposed to establish the oral mucositis mouse model induced by a single dose of radiation for the facility of testing therapeutic candidates which can be used for the oral mucositis treatments.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty-five BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control, 16 Gy, 18 Gy, and 20 Gy. Oral mucositis was induced by a single dose of radiation to the head and neck using 6 MV x-Ray from linear accelerator. After irradiation, body weight and physical abnormalities were checked daily. Tongue tissues from all groups were taken on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 14, respectively and H&E staining was conducted to examine morphological changes.
RESULTS
Body weight dramatically decreased after day 5 in all irradiated mice. In the 16 Gy treatment group, body weight was recovered on day 14. The histology data showed that the thickness of the epithelial cell layer was decreased by the accumulated time after radiation treatment, up to day 9. Severe ulceration was revealed on day 9.
CONCLUSION
A single dose of 16 Gy is sufficient dose to induce oral mucositis in Balb/C mice. Significant changes were observed in the Balb/C mice on days 7 and 9 after radiation. It is suggested that this mouse model might be a useful standard tool for studying oral mucositis induced by radiation.