Radon Improves Clinical Response in an Animal Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis Accompanied by Increased Numbers of Peripheral Blood B Cells and Interleukin-5 Concentration

Deloch L, Hehlgans S, Rückert M, Maier A, Hinrichs A, Flohr AS, Eckert D, Weissmann T, Seeling M, Nimmerjahn F, Fietkau R, Rödel F, Fournier C, Frey B, Gaipl U (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Cells MDPI

Book Volume: 11

Article Number: 689

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.3390/cells11040689

Abstract

Radon treatment is used as an established therapy option in chronic painful inflammatory diseases. While analgesic effects are well described, little is known about the underlying molecular effects. Among the suspected mechanisms are modulations of the anti-oxidative and the immune system. Therefore, we aimed for the first time to examine the beneficial effects of radon exposure on clinical outcome as well as the underlying mechanisms by utilizing a holistic approach in a controlled environment of a radon chamber with an animal model: K/BxN serum-induced arthritic mice as well as isolated cells were exposed to sham or radon irradiation. The effects on the anti-oxidative and the immune system were analyzed by flow-cytometry, qPCR or ELISA. We found a significantly improved clinical disease progression score in the mice, alongside significant increase of peripheral blood B cells and IL-5. No significant alterations were visible in the anti-oxidative system or regarding cell death. We conclude that neither cell death nor anti-oxidative systems are responsible for the beneficial effects of radon exposure in our preclinical model. Rather, radon slightly affects the immune system. However, more research is still needed in order to fully understand radon-mediated effects and to carry out reasonable risk-benefit considerations.

Authors with CRIS profile

Lisa Deloch Department of Radiation Oncology Michael Rückert Department of Radiation Oncology Ann-Sophie Flohr Department of Radiation Oncology Thomas Weissmann Department of Radiation Oncology Michaela Seeling Department Biologie Falk Nimmerjahn Lehrstuhl für Genetik Rainer Fietkau Lehrstuhl für Strahlentherapie Benjamin Frey Department of Radiation Oncology Udo Gaipl Department of Radiation Oncology

Involved external institutions

GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH DE Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Deloch, L., Hehlgans, S., Rückert, M., Maier, A., Hinrichs, A., Flohr, A.-S.,... Gaipl, U. (2022). Radon Improves Clinical Response in an Animal Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis Accompanied by Increased Numbers of Peripheral Blood B Cells and Interleukin-5 Concentration. Cells, 11(4). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells11040689

MLA:

Deloch, Lisa, et al. "Radon Improves Clinical Response in an Animal Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis Accompanied by Increased Numbers of Peripheral Blood B Cells and Interleukin-5 Concentration." Cells 11.4 (2022).

BibTeX: Download