Radiation-induced blood-brain barrier changes: pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical implications

The pathophysiology of whole-brain radiation (WBR) toxicity remains incompletely understood. The possibility of a primary change in blood-brain barrier (BBB) associated with microvascular damage was investigated. Rats were exposed to conventional fractionation in radiation (200 +/- cGy/d, 5d/wk; total dose, 4,000 cGy). BBB changes were assessed by means of the quantitative 14C-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) technique coupled with standard electron microscopy (EM) and morphometric techniques as well as studies of the transcapillary passage of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). At 15 days after WBR, AIB transport across BBB increased significantly in cerebral cortex. EM disclosed vesicular transport of HRP across the intact endothelium without opening of the tight junctions. Ninety days after WBR, well-defined alterations of the microvasculature were observed. The main feature of cortical microvessels was their collapsed aspect, associated with perivascular edema containing cell debris. Data suggest a possible association between damage of the microvascular/glial unit of tissue injury and development of radiation-induced brain cerebral dysfunction. We hypothesize the following sequence of pathophysiological events: WBR causes an early increase in BBB permeability, which produces perivascular edema and microvascular collapse. The interference with microcirculation affects blood flow and energy supply to the tissue, resulting in structural damage on an ischemic/dysmetabolic basis.