Protective effects of L-carnitine on X irradiation-induced uterus injury via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways

Abstract

Purpose

Ionizing radiation causes oxidative stress induced tissue damage as well as a decline in reproduction incidence. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of L-carnitine on radiation-induced uterine injury.

Materials and methods

Thirty Wistar albino rats were classified into five groups. Physiological saline was administered intraperitoneally to the control group. A single dose of 8.3 Gy whole body X-irradiation was applied to the radiation-1 and radiation-2 groups. These groups were sacrificed on the 6th hour and 4th day, respectively, after irradiation. Radiation-1 + L-carnitine and radiation-2 + L-carnitine groups received a daily dose of 200 mg/kg L-carnitine in addition to the same dose of irradiation. L-carnitine was also applied one day before and four days after irradiation.

Results

L-carnitine therapy partially blocks the depletion of the deep glands and radiation-induced flattening of the glandular epithelium and endometrial surface. Proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were found to be significantly expressed in the uterus tissue of irradiated mice. In the radiation groups, NFκB and PARP-1 expressions in uterine tissue was significantly increased compared to L-carnitine treated and the control groups. It was observed that the oxidative stress index increased in the radiation groups, but decreased in the L-carnitine applied groups.

Conclusions

Our findings showed that L-carnitine has a positive effect on radiation-induced uterine damage. L-carnitine may be a potential safe radio protective agent during radiotherapy for pelvic cancer provided the tumor is not protected from radiation damage to the same extent as the normal tissue is. However, prospective clinical trial studies are necessary to understand its efficacy.

Keywords:

• L-carnitine
• uterus
• ionizing radiation
• proinflammatory cytokines
• oxidative stress
• rats

Disclosure statement

Authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Author contributions

Serkan Karacetin – conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing original draft, writing - review and editing.

Meryem Akpolat – conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing original draft, writing – review and editing.

Zehra Safi Oz – data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing original draft.

Ayse Ceylan Hamamcioglu – data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing original draft, writing – review and editing.

This study is partly based on the thesis of one of the coauthors, Serkan Karaçetin, which was also presented at a conference and in the conference proceedings in Turkish (2nd INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON INNOVATIVE SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES, 27–29 December 2019/Samsun – Turkey).

Additional information

Funding

We would like to thank Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University Scientific Research and Project Unit [Project number: 2018-98210206-02]; Zonguldak, Turkey for supporting this study financially. The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

Notes on contributors

Serkan Karacetin

Serkan Karacetin is graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. He did his master’s (2019) and still doing his PhD at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Histology and Embryology Department, Turkey. He is a veterinary clinician.

Meryem Akpolat

Meryem Akpolat is graduated from Trakya University, Faculty of Science in 1997. She did her master’s (2000) at the Pharmacology Department and PhD (2007) at the HistologyEmbryology Department of Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine. Currently, she is a professor and Head of Histology and Embryology Department, at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. Her work focuses on radiobiology and radiation injury. She has published numerous articles in this field.

Zehra Safi Oz

Zehra Safi Oz is an associate professor and Head of Medical Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine and the Director of Health Institute at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Turkey. Her work focuses on cell biology especially on morphometry and gynecologic cytology. She is graduated in 1995 and received her M.Sc. (1998) and Ph.D. (2004) from the Biology Department of Hacettepe University at Ankara, Turkey.

Ayse Ceylan Hamamcioglu

Ayse Ceylan Hamamcioglu is an assistant professor and Head of Biochemistry Department at Faculty of Pharmacy, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Turkey. She is graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy (1993) and received her master’s (1996) and PhD. (2004) from the Biochemistry Department of the same university. She did her postdoctoral studies at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cell Biology Department (2004-2006) in Ohio and Brown University Vascular Biology Laboratory (2006–2008) in Rhode Island, USA. Her work focuses on oxidative stress and antioxidants.