Development and Application of Radiation-Induced Skin Injury Animal Models Based on Strontium-90 β-rays

Summary

Here, we present a protocol to establish reproducible animal models of radiation-induced skin injury using strontium-90 (⁹⁰Sr) β-radiation. This protocol enables the investigation of dose effects and inflammatory responses in superficial radiation damage, providing a foundation for future mechanistic studies.

Abstract

Radiation-induced skin injury is a severe complication frequently encountered in nuclear accident emergencies or radiation-related occupations, necessitating the establishment of standardized, specificity-focused injury models for mechanistic research. Conventional gamma or high-energy X-rays, with strong penetrating ability, induce skin damage but inevitably trigger complex deep-tissue reactions, interfering with investigations of superficial skin effects. Given the risk of pronounced superficial tissue damage from β-radiation in scenarios such as nuclear fallout, we developed a strontium-90 (⁹⁰Sr) β-rays source-based animal model of radiation-induced skin injury to address this challenge. This model leverages the physical property of β-rays, which deposit energy predominantly in superficial tissues, enabling precise simulation of localized biological effects caused by radiation material contact with the skin while avoiding the potential systemic responses triggered by deep-penetrating radiation. This study systematically outlines the entire workflow, including ⁹⁰Sr radiation source parameterization, animal irradiation protocols, and pathological specimen collection and evaluation methods. This model provides a reliable animal tool for elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms of radiation-induced skin injury and stimulating the development of mechanistic investigations or therapeutic strategies.

Introduction

Ionizing radiation is widely used across multiple fields, including energy, medicine, industry, and agriculture. While it brings significant benefits, it also poses direct and potential threats to human health, particularly for occupational workers and cancer patients^1,2. Given that the skin is the body's largest organ and forms its outer covering, it inevitably serves as the primary target upon exposure to ionizing radiation. Composed of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, the skin performs indispensable physiological functions. However, the mechanisms underlying radiation-induced skin injury ....

Protocol

All experimental procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee of the West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine (Chengdu, China).

1. Animal preparation

1. Animal housing and grouping
   1. Assign twelve SPF-grade female C57BL/6J mice (weight range: 18–25 g, age: 3 months) to four standard ventilated cages and randomly allocate them into four groups (n=3) for exposure to varying doses of external irradiation (a non-irradiated control group and 3 experimental irradiation groups).
   2. Maintain all animals on a 12-hour....

Results

Physical examination findings
Mice were exposed to β-radiation from a ⁹⁰Sr source at three different dosage regimens: 0 Gy, 25 Gy, 10 Gy×5 fractions, and 50 Gy. Concurrent on-site evaluations were performed to document the progression of skin damage until injury progression had stabilized. The experimental results demonstrated that ⁹⁰Sr β-radiation induced radiation-induced skin injury across all groups, and the degree of injury depended on the irradiation dose........

Discussion

In establishing an animal model of radiation skin injury, we utilized long-lived radionuclide ⁹⁰Sr as a source of β-radiation. Precise calculation of the radiation dose rate and irradiation time constituted a critical step in the successful development of this model. The clinical application of ⁹⁰Sr in tumor therapy has been documented, with its reliability receiving some partial validation^27,28. While other β-ray radionuclides (e........

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Anti-IL-6 Rabbit pAb	Servicebio	GB11117	Immunofluorescence staining
Anti-IL-10 Rabbit pAb	Servicebio	GB11108	Immunofluorescence staining
Citric acid antigen repair solution (PH6.0)	Servicebio	G1202	Immunofluorescence staining
Dehydrator	DIAPATH	Donatello	H&E and Immunofluorescence  staining
Digital camera	Canon	EOS 70D	Document the progression of skin injury during the experiment
Disposable sterilized syringe	Professional Manufacturer Of Disposable Sterile Medical Devices.	GB20163140107	For intraperitoneal injection
Disposable Latex Glove	Medicom	1186	Protection
Environmental Friendly Dewaxing Transparent Liquid	Servicebio	G1128-1L	H&E and Immunofluorescence  staining
Frozen platform	Wuhan Junjie Electronics Co., Ltd	JB-L5	H&E  staining
Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) HD constant dye kit	Servicebio	G1076	H&E  staining
Image J	National Institutes	Image processing	Enable precise quantification of histological staining data
Lead apron	Shandong Oureixin Radiation Protection Engineering Co., Ltd.	N/A	Protect personnel from radiation exposure
Liquid Blocker PAP Pen	Servicebio	G6100	Immunofluorescence staining
Medical film	3M	10163337409520	Prevent contamination of the radiation source by biological surfaces
Neutral gum	SCRC	10004160	H&E  staining
Nuclear radiation detector	FNIRSI	100128262296	Real-time monitoring of ambient radiation levels around the operator to ensure personnel safety
Paraformaldehyde Fixative (4%)	Biosharp	BL539A	Fix skin tissue samples
Pathology slicer	Shanghai Leica Instrument Co., Ltd	RM2016	H&E and Immunofluorescence  staining
Paraffin embedding machine	Wuhan Junjie electronics	JB-P5	H&E and Immunofluorescence  staining
Strontium-90	Khlopin Radium Institute Joint-Stock Company (Radium Institute JSC,Russia)	N/A	Provide β-rays
Tribromoethanol	Nanjing Aibei Biotechnology Co.,Ltd	M2910	Anesthetize mice
Water bath-slide drier	ZHEJIANG JINHUA KEDI INSTRUMENTAL EQUIPMENT	KD-P	H&E and Immunofluorescence  staining