Modulation of ionizing radiation-induced damage in human blood lymphocytes by in vivo treatment with resveratrol

Abstract

Purpose: Radiotherapy is an effective tool for cancer control, but side effects on normal tissue limit its therapeutic effectiveness. Thus, the search for agents that may allow the use of high doses of radiation but exerting a differential protection to healthy tissue is of current concern. Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) (RSV) is a polyphenol with pleiotropic benefits for health due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent findings suggest that RSV could be promising in the fight against cancer since it inhibits the growth of tumor cells and optimizes radiotherapy. However, evidence in rodents and human beings is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiomodulatory capacity of RSV on human lymphocytes.

Materials and methods: To study these properties of RSV, human peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 healthy women undergoing in vivo RSV treatment with 50 mg/day doses were irradiated. The genotoxic damage was assessed by the comet assay, also called single cell gel electrophoresis (it makes it possible to measure the extent of the DNA migration from individual cells, detecting the genomic damage present in each cell).

Results: No differences were observed in basal clastogenic damage among samples without irradiation. There was only a slight radiation-induced clastogenic damage. The damage index (DI) value had a statistically significant increase in the exposed groups in comparison with the control groups (p < .0001), but a statistically significant decrease of the DI value was observed in samples irradiated after treatment with RSV compared to pretreatment samples (p < .0001).

Conclusion: The RSV used as a dietary supplement had radioprotective properties, without exerting a cytotoxic effect. The potential utility of RSV to optimize the radiotherapeutic ratio in cancer treatments using radiotherapy should be considered.

Keywords:

• Resveratrol
• radiation
• radio-modulators
• radioprotection
• in vivo

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Marcelo Martínez for assistance in the design of the irradiation treatment and dose calculations, and the authorities of the Institute of Radiant Therapy network (CIO), La Plata and also thank A. Di Maggio for manuscript correction and editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eliana Evelina Ocolotobiche

Eliana Evelina Ocolotobiche has done a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology. As member of the Radiobiology Laboratory, she has directed experimental works on Radiomodulators and molecular bases of the radiotherapy. She is Teaching Assistant in Biotechnology of Superior Organisms and Molecular Cell Biology of the National University of La Plata.

Yuliana Catalina Banegas

Yuliana Catalina Banegas has a degree in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. As a fellow of the National Cancer Institute, she has carried out research on the basis of radiotherapy and radio modulating agents.

Alba Mabel Güerci

Alba Mabel Güerci has a PhD in the area of Radiobiology, where she has been working for more than two decades. She is a Professor of Molecular and Cellular Radiobiology at the National University of La Plata. Its field of action refers to the basis of Oncologic Radiation Therapy.