Hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity induced by radiation and the protective effect of quercetin in male albino rats

Abstract

Purpose

Although radiation is one of the basic methods commonly used in cancer treatment, it inevitably enters the field of treatment in healthy tissues and is adversely affected by the acute and chronic side effects of radiation. This study evaluated the possible protective effects of quercetin, an antioxidant agent, against liver and kidney damage in rats exposed to a whole-body single dose of radiation (10 Gy of gamma-ray).

Materials and methods

The study groups were formed as control, sham, quercetin, radiation, quercetin + radiation and radiation + quercetin using 60 male Wistar albino (200–250 g, 3 months old) rats, including 10 rats in each group. The gamma-ray provided by the Co60 teletherapy machine was given to the whole body as external irradiation. According to the groups, quercetin was administered to rats at 50 mg/kg/day via oral gavage before or after radiation administration. The rats were sacrificed the day after irradiation and the extracted tissue samples from all groups were compared histologically and immunohistochemically. DNA damage was determined by the neutral comet assay technique. Also, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH) were evaluated in liver and kidney tissues by the ELISA method.

Results

Histopathological changes were observed altered morphology of liver and kidney tissues in the radiation groups. Sinusoidal dilatations, vacuolization, and hepatic parenchyma necrosis in the liver, while in kidneys, glomerular shrinkage, widened Bowman’s space, tubular dilatation, and inflammation were evident. TNF-α, IL1-α, HIF1-α, and caspase 3 immunoreactivities in tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry. High caspase 3 positive cell number confirmed apoptosis, the comet parameters were decreased in the quercetin + radiation group. When compared to the control group, the exposure to radiation showed a marked elevation in MDA which was accompanied by high GSH. This damage was reduced in the quercetin + radiation group.

Conclusions

With the results obtained from the study; Quercetin is thought to have a protective potential against radiation-induced liver and kidney damage due to its radioprotective effect.

Keywords:

• Radiation
• quercetin
• cytokines
• comet assay
• apoptosis

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the researchers and supporters involved in this study.

Disclosure statement

Regarding this article, the authors declare that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Erciyes University Scientific Research Project Coordination Unit (Project no: EUBAP, TSA-9747).

Notes on contributors

Munevver Baran

Munevver Baran is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, Turkey.

Arzu Yay

Arzu Yay is an Associate Professor in the Department of Histology-Embryology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine and Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Turkey

Gozde Ozge Onder

Gozde Ozge Onder is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Histology-Embryology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.

Fazile canturk Tan

Fazile Canturk Tan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biophysics, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.

Betul Yalcin

Betul Yalcin is a PhD Student in the Department of Histology-Embryology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey

Esra Balcioglu

Esra Balcioglu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Histology-Embryology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine and Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Turkey.

Oguz Galip Yıldız

Oguz Galip Yıldız is a Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.