title: Lycopene as a natural protector against gamma-radiation induced DNA damage, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in primary culture of isolated rat hepatocytes in vitro.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate the radioprotective effect of lycopene, a naturally occurring dietary carotenoid, on gamma-radiation induced toxicity in cultured rat hepatocytes. The cellular changes were estimated using lipid peroxidative indices like thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), ceruloplasmin, vitamins A, E, C and uric acid. The DNA damage was analysed by single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). The increase in the severity of DNA damage was observed with the increase in gamma-radiation dose (1, 2 and 4 Gy) in cultured rat hepatocytes. TBARS were increased significantly whereas the levels of GSH, vitamins C, E and A, ceruloplasmin, uric acid and antioxidant enzymes were significantly decreased in gamma-irradiated groups. The maximum damage to hepatocytes was observed at 4 Gy irradiation. Pretreatment with lycopene (1.86, 9.31 and 18.62 microM) showed a significant decrease in the levels of TBARS and DNA damage. The antioxidant enzymes increased significantly along with the levels of GSH, vitamins A, E, C, uric acid and ceruloplasmin. The maximum protection of hepatocytes was observed at 9.31 muM of lycopene pretreatment. Thus, our results show that pretreatment with lycopene offers protection against gamma-radiation induced cellular damage and can be developed as an effective radioprotector during radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608 002, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: A Ram
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sudheer
authors.forename: K Raveendran
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: P Raghu
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sudhakaran
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Menon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism; D020552:Comet Assay; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000077276:Lycopene; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014815:Vitamins; D014527:Uric Acid; D002338:Carotenoids; D004247:DNA; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D005978:Glutathione; D000077276:Lycopene