The immune response to herpes simplex virus encephalitis in mice is modulated by dietary vitamin E

Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) is the most common fatal sporadic encephalitis in humans. HSE is primarily caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 infection of the brain. HSE results in increased levels of oxidative stress, including the production of reactive oxygen species, free radicals, and neuroinflammation. The most biologically active form of vitamin E (VE) is alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TOC). In cellular membranes, alpha-TOC prevents lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radicals and functioning as an antioxidant. Supplementation with VE has been shown to decrease immunosenescence, improve immune function, and may be neuroprotective. To determine how VE deficiency and VE supplementation would alter the pathogenesis of HSE, we placed weanling male BALB/cByJ mice on VE-deficient (VE-D), VE-adequate (VE-A), or 10x VE-supplemented diets for 4 wk, and then infected the mice intranasally with HSV-1. VE-D mice had more severe symptoms of encephalitis than VE-A mice, including weight loss, keratitis, hunched posture, and morbidity. VE-D mice had increased cytokine and chemokine expression in the brain and increased viral titers. In contrast, VE supplementation failed to decrease cytokine production and had no effect on viral titer. We demonstrated that adequate levels of VE are important in limiting HSE pathology and that 10x supplementation does not enhance protection.     

Effect of curcumin and curcumin copper complex (1:1) on radiation-induced changes of anti-oxidant enzymes levels in the livers of Swiss albino mice

The effect of mononuclear copper (II) complex of curcumin in 1:1 stoichiometry (hereafter referred to as complex) administered 30 min before gamma-irradiation (4.5 Gy) on alterations in antioxidant and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in livers was studied in comparison to curcumin at a dose of 50 mg/kg. The different antioxidants like GSH, GST, catalase, SOD, TBARS and total thiols were estimated in the liver homogenates excised at different time intervals (1, 2 and 4 h) post irradiation using colorimetric methods. There was a radiation-induced decrease in the levels of all the studied enzymes at 1 h post irradiation, while an increase was observed at later time points. Both curcumin and complex treatment in sham-irradiated mice decreased the levels of GSH and total thiols, whereas there was an increase in the levels of catalase, GST and SOD compared to normal control. Under the influence of irradiation, both curcumin and complex treatment protected the decline in the levels of GSH, GST, SOD, catalase and total thiols, and inhibited radiation-induced lipid peroxidation. Further, the complex was found to be more effective in protecting the enzymes at 1 h post irradiation compared to curcumin treated group. This may be due to the higher rate constants of the complex compared to curcumin for their reactions with various free radicals.     

Protective Effect of Prostaglandin E₁ on Radiation-Induced Proliferative Inhibition and Apoptosis in Keratinocytes and Healing of Radiation-Induced Skin Injury in Rats

We examined the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on radiation-induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in keratinocytes and healing of radiation-induced skin injury in a rat model. PGE1 had a protective effect on radiation-induced growth inhibition in keratinocytes in vitro, but not in fibroblasts. Varying concentrations of PGE1 were subcutaneously administered into the posterior neck region. X-irradiation at a dose of 20 Gy was administrated to the lower part of the back using a lead sheet with two holes 30 min to 1 h before or after the administration of PGE1. Although X-irradiation induced epilation, minor erosions, or skin ulcers in almost all rats, PGE1 administration prior to irradiation reduced these irradiation injuries. Staining with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling showed that proportions of apoptotic keratinocytes in the X-irradiated skin of PGE1-administered rats were significantly lower than for those in the skin of rats which did not receive PGE1. Cutaneous full-thickness defective wounds were then formed in X-irradiated areas to examine the time course of wound healing. Wound healing was significantly delayed because of X-irradiation, but PGE1 administration prior to irradiation led to a significantly shorter delay in wound healing compared with controls. Decreasing delay in wound healing was correlated with concentration of PGE1 administrated. Thus, PGE1-administration may potentially alleviate the radiation-induced skin injury.     

黄蘑多糖的辐射防护作用及其机理的初步探讨

本文研究了黄蘑多糖的辐射防护作用及其对受照小鼠肝脏组织中LPO含量及SOD、GSH-PX和CAT活性的影响。结果表明,黄蘑多糖可明显提高受致死剂量照射小鼠的30 d存活率(P <0.05),延长存活天数,保护指数可达1.32,并且,黄蘑多糖的这种辐射防护效果与有效的辐射防护药物人参多糖相似。进一步研究发现,小鼠经8.0Gy X射线照射后72h,黄蘑多糖能明显降低受照小鼠肝脏中LPO含量(P <0.01),且显著增强其SOD、GSH-PX和CAT活性(P <0.05)。提示,黄蘑多糖具有明显的辐射防护作用,且可与人参多糖相比。其作用机理与促进自由基清除,抑制或阻断自由基引发的脂质过氧化反应,提高机体抗氧化能力有关。     

不同维生素E含量饲料对D-氨基半乳糖致大鼠肝坏死的影响

本文观察了饲以不同VE含量饲料对D-GAL致大鼠肝坏死模型中脂质过氧化和肝损害程度的影响。结果表明:喂养8周后,富含VE饲料组大鼠血和肝VE值显著高于正常VE含量饲料组,而血MDA值则显著降低。在中毒后各个时期富含VE饲料组血和肝VE均保持较高水平,较好地维持了GSH含量及SOD、GSH-P_X活力和HPT活动度,而MDA含量和OCT、m-AST活性则非常显著低于正常VE含量饲料组,肝脏病理改变也显著轻于后者。贫乏VE饲料组大鼠上述各项指标的改变几乎均与富含VE饲料组相反。结果提示,富含VE饲料有较好的肝脏保护作用,这种保护作用可能是通过提高体内VE水平、抑制脂质过氧化而实现的。VE贫乏使肝脏对致伤因子的敏感性显著增强。     

Effect of alpha-tocopherol on oxidative hemolysis, as evaluated by impedance measurement.

Using a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HX-XOD) reaction system, the effect of vitamin E (VE) on oxidative membrane injury was studied by the impedance method. Both VE-sufficient and VE-deficient erythrocytes showed an elevation of low frequency permittivity in the early phase of reaction. In the later phase of reaction, VE-sufficient erythrocytes showed a sustained elevation in permittivity, while VE-deficient erythrocytes showed a decrease in permittivity with time. These changes consisted with the process of hemolysis in the HX-XOD system. The similarity of early phase change between VE-sufficient and VE-deficient erythrocytes indicates that the HX-XOD system exerted a similar effect on both erythrocytes in the early phase. The difference in changes of later phase between the two types of erythrocytes suggests that VE suppressed the reduction in permittivity. When the results were analyzed by the Pauly-Schwan's theory based on the assumption that erythrocytes are spherical, the product of VE-deficient or VE-sufficient erythrocyte size (R) and membrane capacity (Cm) showed a change similar to that in permittivity.     

Pre-irradiation at a low dose-rate blunted p53 response

We investigated whether chronic irradiation at a low dose-rate interferes with the p53-centered signal transduction pathway induced by radiation in human cultured cells and C57BL/6N mice. In in vitro experiments, we found that a challenge with X-ray irradiation immediately after chronic irradiation resulted in lower levels of p53 than those observed after the challenge alone in glioblastoma cells (A-172). In addition, the levels of p53-centered apoptosis and its related proteins after the challenge were strongly correlated with the above-mentioned phenomena in squamous cell carcinoma cells (SAS/neo). In in vivo experiments, the accumulation of p53 and Bax, and the induction of apoptosis were observed dose-dependently in mouse spleen at 12 h after a challenge with X-rays (3.0 Gy). However, we found significant suppression of p53 and Bax accumulation and the induction of apoptosis 12 h after challenge irradiation at 3.0 Gy with a high dose-rate following chronic pre-irradiation (1.5 Gy, 0.001 Gy/min). These findings suggest that chronic pre-irradiation suppressed the p53 function through radiation-induced signaling and/or p53 stability.     

Vitamin E and L-carnitine, separately or in combination, in the prevention of radiation-induced oral mucositis and myelosuppression: a controlled study in a rat model

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of vitamin E (VE) and L-carnitine (LC) supplementation, separately or in combination, on radiation-induced oral mucositis and myelosuppression. Group 1 received no treatment (control). Group 2 received 15 Gray of 60Co gamma irradiation as a single dose to total cranium (IR). Group 3, 4, and 5 received irradiation plus 40 mg/kg/day VE (IR+VE) or 200 mg/kg/day LC (IR+LC) or in combination (IR+VE+LC) respectively. Clinically and histopathologically, assessments of mucosal reactions were performed by two independent experts in Radiation Oncology and Pathology, respectively. Hematologic analyses and antioxidant enzyme evaluations were also performed. Irradiation significantly increased oral mucositis, and decreased thrombocyte and White Blood Cell counts. A significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in plasma were found in the IR group. VE and LC administration, separately, plus irradiation significantly delayed the starting day, and reduced the severity of, oral mucositis. This administration also reduced a fall in the numbers of thrombocyte and WBC caused by irradiation, and decreased the MDA level, and increased the activity of SOD and CAT enzymes in the plasma. VE and LC, in combination, plus irradiation did not provide a superior radioprotection against radiation-induced toxicities.     

Dose and dose-rate effects of X rays and fission neutrons on lymphocyte apoptosis in p53(+/+) and p53(-/-) mice

Following the exposure of mice to X rays or fission neutrons, the frequency (F) of apoptosis was measured after 4 h, and the weight loss or lymphocyte content loss in the thymus and spleen was measured after 24 h. In p53(+/+) mice, F increased linearly with the dose (D (Gy)) and the induced rate per Gy of F (detected by TUNEL staining) was 0.05 and 0.23 for X rays and fission neutrons, respectively. Therefore, the RBE of fission neutrons was 4.6 for apoptosis induction. This indicates that radiation-induced apoptosis is mostly due to double strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA because we previously obtained almost the same RBE value of fission neutrons for the induction of crossover mutations in Drosophila melanogaster, which arise from the recombinational repair of DSBs. In p53(+/+) mice, decreases in the organ weight and the lymphocyte content were observed for the thymus and the spleen 24 h after X-irradiation. These atrophic changes in the thymus and the spleen quantitatively corresponded to the total apoptotic cell deaths occurring in them. However, in p53(-/-) mice, no vigorous apoptosis was induced after X-irradiation, and hyperplastic changes in the weight and the lymphocyte content appeared in the thymus and the spleen 24 h after X-irradiation. In p53(+/+) mice, there was no difference in the induced rate per Gy of reduction in the surviving fraction of lymphocytes between acute (0.4 Gy/min) and chronic (3 mGy/min) gamma-irradiations. Namely, radiation-induced apoptosis in lymphocytes is a dose-rate independent event.     

Radiation-induced apoptosis in peritoneal resident macrophages of C3H mice

Gamma ray-radiation induced significant apoptosis in peritoneal resident macrophages (PRMs) of C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice, but not in other strains of mice. To investigate the role of DNA damage in the apoptosis, DNA damage was quantified in PRMs by use of the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. No significant difference was found between C3H and C57Black/6 mice in either radiation-induced DNA damage or repair. Radiation induced apoptosis at the same levels in PRMs of p53 knockout mice and atm knockout mice as those of wild-type C3H mice; however radiation-induced apoptosis was significantly less extensive in the thymocytes of these mutant mice than in those of wild-type mice. Apoptosis was also induced at the same level by an irradiation in PRMs of C3H scid mice as in those of wild-type C3H mice. Therefore it was suggested that radiation-induced DNA damage and TP53, ATM, or DNA-PK-mediated cellular responses occurring downstream thereof were not involved in the radiation-induced apoptotic cell death in C3H mouse PRMs.     

Different radiation susceptibility among five strains of mice detected by a skin reaction

Published reports about skin reactions to radiotherapy, especially among breast-cancer patients, suggest that there are interindividual differences in the normal tissue response, and genetic factors are thought to be involved in this variation. An analysis of murine strain differences may reveal the mechanism of genetic factors in the extent of normal tissue damage from irradiation for several endpoints. The variation in the radiation susceptibility was observed when the skin of mice from strains A/J, C3H/HeMs, C57BL/6J, C.B.17/Icr-scid and C3H-scid was irradiated with a single dose ranging from 10 to 60 Gy, using Cs-137 gamma rays. The active skin reaction of A/J mice lasted for months. C3H/HeMs mice showed dose-dependent skin damage, and consequently recovered to a state of mild damage within 40 days after local irradiation. The time course of the response in C57BL/6J mice was shorter than in A/J mice. The 2 strains of scid mice exhibited severe damage after irradiation at any dose from 20 to 50 Gy, and did not show any dose dependency. The variation between murine strains in macroscopic and histopathological changes in skin during the progression and resolution of damage caused by irradiation suggests an inter-strain variation in the expression of genes involved in injury, apoptosis, repair, and remodeling.     

Involvement of p53-dependent apoptosis in radiation teratogenesis and in the radioadaptive response in the late organogenesis of mice

The irradiation of fetuses at the late period of organogenesis has been known to induce a dramatic increase in malformations. The mechanisms involved, however, have remained unclear for a long time. Using the mouse limb bud system, we first found that radiation-induced apoptosis is involved in the malformation, namely, radiation-induced apoptosis in the predigital regions of embryonic limb buds is responsible for digital defects in mice. An examination of embryonic C57BL/6J mice with different p53 (trp53) status enabled us to further find that susceptibility to radiation-induced apoptosis in the predigital regions and digital defects depend on both the p53 status and the radiation dose; p53 wild-type mice appeared to be the most sensitive, while p53 knockout mice were the most resistant. These results indicate that p53-dependent apoptosis mediates radiation-induced digital defects in the later organogenesis period. The existence of a radioadaptive response in embryonic mice, which has not been reported so far, was found by irradiating embryos with either 5 cGy or 30 cGy on embryonic day 11 prior to a challenging irradiation at 3 Gy on embryonic day 12. p53-heterozygous embryos did not show the radioadaptive response, indicating the involvement of p53 in the radioadaptive response in embryogenesis.     

The potential cardioprotective effects of hydrogen in irradiated mice

Most ionizing radiation-induced damage is caused by hydroxyl radicals, and the selective reduction of hydroxyl by hydrogen in vitro has been demonstrated previously. Irradiation of the heart can cause chronic cardiac disease. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that hydrogen-rich water (pure water saturated with molecular hydrogen), which is easy to use, induces cardioprotection against ionizing irradiation injury in mice. In this paper, we demonstrate that hydrogen can protect myocardium degeneration from radiation-induced injury, decrease myocardium malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels, and increase myocardium endogenous antioxidants in vivo. We suggest that hydrogen has a cardioprotective effect against radiation induced injury.     

Free radical scavenger edaravone suppresses x-ray-induced apoptosis through p53 inhibition in MOLT-4 cells

Edaravone, a clinical drug used widely for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction, is reported to scavenge free radicals. In the present study, we investigated the radioprotective effect of edaravone on X-ray-induced apoptosis in MOLT-4 cells. Apoptosis was determined by the dye exclusion test, Annexin V binding assay, cleavage of caspase, and DNA fragmentation. We found that edaravone significantly suppressed the X-ray-induced apoptosis. The amount of intracellular ROS production was determined by the chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydro-fluorescein diacetate system. We found that the intracellular ROS production by X-irradiation was completely suppressed by the addition of edaravone. The accumulation and phosphorylation of p53 and the expression of p21(WAF1), a target protein of p53, which were induced by X-irradiation, were also suppressed by adding edaravone. We conclude that the free radical scavenger edaravone suppresses X-ray-induced apoptosis in MOLT-4 cells by inhibiting p53.     

Promotion of radioresistance by metallothionein induction prior to irradiation

A striking radioresistance has been found in mice which were subjected to various pretreatments to induce metallothionein synthesis in the liver prior to irradiation. The tolerance to lethal damage from an LD50 level of radiation during a 30-day postirradiation period was demonstrated by a highly significant difference (P less than 0.01) in mortality rate between mice given subcutaneously manganese, cadmium, or zinc injection or surgical skin excision of mice and the control mice (no pretreatment). A typical loss in body weight that generally reached a peak 2 weeks after irradiation was observed in the control mice, but mice given a dose of 10 mg manganese per kilogram body weight showed a steady weight increase even a few days after irradiation. The normal level of metallothionein in mouse liver is 20 micrograms/g tissue. This level increased up to 70 micrograms/g tissue following irradiation at 6.3 Gy. Among irradiated mice, metallothionein levels in the liver increased approximately 200-800% after cadmium, manganese, or zinc injection compared to levels of irradiated mice without pretreatment. Mice undergoing 2 X 2-cm2 dermal excision also demonstrated a similar reduction of mortality and high metallothionein contents in liver, i.e., 150-400 micrograms/g. The present results, together with our previous findings (Matsubara et al., 1982, 1983, 1984; Matsubara, 1986), suggest that the body's protective mechanism against radiation strongly correlates with the biosynthesis of metallothionein or metallothionein itself acting as a scavenger of radiation-induced peroxides.     

超声对活鼠胚胎心肌细胞凋亡影响的研究

目的 观察诊断级超声波对活鼠胚胎心肌细胞Bcl-2及Bax表达及其凋亡的影响。方法 采用孕14d的Wistar大鼠36只,分为6组,分别为2.5MHz照射10 min、7MHz照射10 min、10 min对照组、2.5MHz照射40 min、7MHz照射40 min、40 min对照组(7MHz探头,Isppa=227W/cm²,Ispta=385mW/cm²;2.5MHz探头,Isppa=94.5W/cm²,Ispta=15.6mW/cm2)。采用免疫组化检测胎鼠心肌Bax及Bcl-2的表达,用TUNEL法及电镜检测胎鼠心肌细胞的凋亡情况。结果 统计显示同一样本不同胚胎间差异无显著性(P>0.05)。7MHz照射40 min组胎鼠心肌组织Bcl-2(+),Bax蛋白阳性(+),2.5MHz照射40min组胎鼠心肌组织Bcl-2阳性(+),Bax阳性(-),7MHz照射10min组胎鼠心肌组织Bcl-2(+),Bax蛋白阴性(-),2.5MHz照射10 min组胎鼠心肌组织Bcl-2阳性(+),Bax阳性(-),两组对照组两者均为(-);TUNEL试验及电镜显示7MHz照射40 min组较其他组凋亡差异有显著性(P<0.05),其余各组与对照组之间差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论 较高强度诊断级超声波较长时间辐照可导致胎鼠心肌细胞凋亡,Bcl-2及Bax在该过程中起调节作用,小剂量的超声波可以促进Bcl-2表达来抑制细胞凋亡。     

Metallothionein induction: a measure of radioprotective action

Mice treated to induce metallothionein (MT) synthesis in the liver prior to irradiation were resistant to radiation; this also was true of mice that had a portion of skin surgically removed or an immunomodulator administered. Mice given Mn, Cd or Zn subcutaneously prior to irradiation showed increased tolerance to an LD50 level (6-8 Gy) of x rays compared with controls that received no pretreatments (p less than 0.01). All the mice were evaluated during a 30-d postirradiation period. Weight loss in control mice peaked two weeks after irradiation, whereas body weight in mice pretreated with Mn continued to increase after irradiation with x rays. The normal level of MT in mouse liver (25 micrograms g-1 tissue) increased to 70 micrograms g-1 liver tissue in mice irradiated with 6.3-Gy x rays. However, following subcutaneous injection of Cd, Mn or Zn, or intraperitoneal injection of OK-432 (Picibanil, a killed streptococcal preparation, obtained from Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), MT levels in liver increased by a factor of 2-8 compared to irradiated that were not treated with the reagents listed above. The mortality rate of mice with a surgically excised 2 X 2-cm2 portion of dorsal skin or of those administered OK-432 was lower than that of controls, and MT levels in liver (150-400 micrograms g-1 tissue) were higher than those of irradiated mice that were not surgically treated. These results suggest that the body's protective action against radiation correlates with the biosynthesis of MT, or that MT acts as a scavenger of radiation-induced peroxides.     

Aloe polysaccharides mediated radioprotective effect through the inhibition of apoptosis

Polysaccharides from aloe are always considered an effective radioprotector on irradiation-induced skin damage. The aim of this study was to determine if aloe polysaccharides (AP) have radioprotective effects on normal human cells in vitro and mouse survival in vivo and to explore the mechanism. Pretreatment with 50 microg/ml AP could improve the surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) of three normal cell lines 293, ECV304, and C. liver from 41.5%, 46.5%, and 40.9% to 49.4%, 72.1%, and 89.1%, respectively. AP could also reduce the apoptotic rate of C. liver cells from 9.5% and 43.0% to 2.2% and 10.9% 48 h and 72 h after 2 Gy irradiation, respectively. Western blot analysis showed that pretreatment with AP could block the upregulation of pro-apoptotic p53, Bax, and Bad and the downregulation of Bcl-2 by irradiation. AP could lower thymocyte apoptosis of mice in vivo after 6 Gy irradiation and abrogate the cell cycle perturbation. Fifty mg/kg of AP treatment for 30 min before 7.5 Gy irradiation provided the best radioprotective effect and improved the 30-day survival rate of mice to 86.0%, from 10.0%. AP exerted radioprotective effects in vitro and in vivo through an inhibition of apoptosis.