Bayesian networks in modeling leucocyte interplay following brain irradiation: A comprehensive framework

Background and objective

Understanding the intricate interactions among leucocyte subpopulations following radiotherapy is crucial for advancing cancer research and immunology. Recently, interest in recent radiotherapy modalities, such as protons, has increased. Herein, we present a framework utilizing Bayesian networks to uncover these complex relationships via an illustrative example of brain irradiation in rodents.

Methods

We utilized data from 96 healthy C57BL/6 adult mice subjected to either X-ray or proton brain irradiation. Leucocyte subpopulations in the blood collected 12 h after the final irradiated fraction were quantified. We employed Bayesian networks to detect causal interplay between physiological parameters, radiation variables and circulating leucocytes. The causal structure was learned via the use of the Bayesian information criterion as a scored criterion. Parameter estimation was performed to quantify the strength of the identified causal relationships. Cross-validation was used to validate our Bayesian network model's performance.

Results

In the X-ray model, we discovered previously undisclosed interactions between NK-cells and neutrophils, and between monocytes and T-CD4⁺ cells. The proton model revealed an interplay involving T-CD4⁺ cells and neutrophils. Both X-rays and protons led to heightened interactions between T-CD8+ cells and B cells, indicating their significant role in orchestrating immune responses. Additionally, the proton model displayed strengthened interactions between T-CD4⁺ and T-CD8⁺ cells, emphasizing a dynamic and coordinated immune response post-irradiation. Cross-validation results demonstrated the robustness of the Bayesian network model in explaining data uncertainty.

Conclusion

The use of Bayesian networks as tools for causal structure discovery has revealed novel insights into the dynamics of immune responses to radiation exposure.