title: Radioprotective effects of exogenous glutathione against whole-body gamma-ray irradiation: age- and gender-related changes in malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in rat liver.
abstract: Age- and gender-related changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in rat livers exposed to different doses of whole-body gamma-ray radiation were determined. In addition, the effects of exogenous glutathione (GSH) against radiation injury in rat livers were investigated. We found that MDA levels have an age-associated increment and an increasing radiation dose-related elevation, although they decrease slightly in the 4 Gy group. The MDA levels in old rats were lower in males than in females, while those of young rats did not change. There were no observed age-related changes in SOD activities, although male rats had higher SOD activity than females. Female rats had the highest CAT activities in the 4 Gy group, while male rats had the highest CAT activities in the 6 Gy group. CAT activities in the 8 Gy group were lower than those of the 2 Gy group for each gender and age. While MDA levels were decreased and CAT activities increased by GSH, SOD activities remained unchanged. The results indicate that gamma-ray radiation affects gender- and age-dependent MDA levels, SOD and CAT activities. Administration of GSH appears to be a useful approach to reduce radiation injury by reducing MDA levels and increasing CAT activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Osmangazi University, Eskisehir.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akgün
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kahraman
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione