Antioxidant activity of curcumin protects against the radiation-induced micronuclei formation in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to various doses of γ-Radiation

Abstract

Purpose

Ionizing radiations trigger the formation of free radicals that damage DNA and cause cell death. DNA damage may be simply evaluated by micronucleus assay and the pharmacophores that impede free radicals could effectively reduce the DNA damage initiated by irradiation. Therefore, it was desired to determine the capacity of curcumin to alleviate micronuclei formation in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) exposed to 0–4 Gy of γ-radiation.

Materials and methods

HPBLs were exposed to 3 Gy after 30 minutes of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 or 50 µg/mL curcumin treatment or with 0.5 μg/mL curcumin 30 minutes early to 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 or 4 Gy ⁶⁰Co γ-irradiation. Cytokinesis of HPBLs was blocked by cytochalasin B and micronuclei scored. The ability of curcumin to suppress free radical induction in vitro was determined by standard methods.

Results

HPBLs treated with different concentrations of curcumin before 3 Gy irradiation alleviated the micronuclei formation depending on curcumin concentration and the lowest micronuclei were detected at 0.5 µg/mL curcumin when compared to 3 Gy irradiation alone. Increasing curcumin concentration caused a gradual rise in micronuclei, and the significant increases were detected at 10–50 µg/mL curcumin than 3 Gy irradiation alone. Irradiation of HPBLs to different doses of γ-rays caused a significant rise in micronuclei depending on radiation dose, whereas HPBLs treated with 0.5 µg/mL curcumin 30 minutes before irradiation to different doses of γ-rays significantly reduced frequencies of HPBLs with one, two, or more micronuclei. Curcumin treatment inhibited the formation of hydroxyl (OH), 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and (nitric oxide) NO free radicals in a concentration-related way.

Conclusions

Curcumin when treated at a dose of 0.5 μg/mL attenuated micronuclei formation after γ-irradiation by inhibiting the formation of radiation-induced free radicals.

Keywords:

• Curcumin
• micronuclei
• human peripheral blood lymphocytes
• radiation
• free radicals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Govt. of India New Delhi by vide grant No. AERB/SRP/26/02/2002.

Notes on contributors

Ganesh Chandra Jagetia

Ganesh Chandra Jagetia set up Radiobiology Department at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, in 1982. He was professor in the period 1991–2007 and taught radiobiology. Then, he was Professor Departmental Chair and Dean, School of Life Sciences at Mizoram University, Aizawl, India (2007–2017) and taught Zoology. Ganesh Chandra Jagetia mentored 25 PhD students and published 240 research articles in radiation, cancer and vulnerary biology. He was the Academic Editor – PLoS One in 2007–2019.