Multiple dietary supplement and protection against radiation-induced damage

Abstract

Radiotherapy is a critical part of cancer treatment. With the recent medical advancements and increased survival rate of cancer patients, there is also an increased risk of radiationrelated tissue damage and toxicity which could lead to severe organ damage or even organ failure. Medications that could be used as prophylaxis or treatment provide a better quality of life for cancer patients. In the present study, we evaluated the radio-protective potential of multiple dietary supplement (MDS) in an animal model by looking at the gene expression levels of the renin-angiotensin system. In mice receiving 5 Gy radiation, MDS administration as prophylaxis or treatment was able to decrease the expression levels of angiotensinogen which suggested the lower activity of RAS in irradiated kidney tissue. This finding indicates MDS potential for tissue radioprotection. Study of expression levels of kidney antioxidant enzymes also suggested benefits of MDS in protecting kidney tissue from radiation-induced reactive oxygen species evidenced by the lack of upregulation in expression levels of genes such as GPX1, NOS3 and SOD2 in mice receiving MDS as prophylaxis. Also, systemic effects of MDS to protect the body from radiation-induced physiological stress was studied by evaluating genes involved in catecholamine biosynthesis pathway in adrenal. Data from expression levels of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) suggests MDS protected the animal from radiation-induced physiological stress. MDS was useful both for prophylaxis and treatment. Further examination was also conducted to determine MDS effects on radiation-induced antioxidant and DNA damage and repair response and also changes in expression levels of DNA methyltransferases. Collectively our results suggested MDS has the potential to protect the mice tissue from radiation induced tissue damage, oxidative stress and physiological stress.