Compartmental responses after thoracic irradiation of mice: Strain differences

Conclusions: The major molecular and cellular events in lungs of C57BL/6J and C3H/HeN mice, which develop late fibrosis and subacute pneumonitis after thoracic irradiation respectively, take place within the interstitium and are not reflected within BAL populations. The initial proinflammatory responses are similar in the two strains, but later responses reflect the latent time to lesion development. TNF-α expression at 3-4 months may be important in radiation-induced pneumonitis, and its downregulation is important in avoiding this radiation-induced complication.