title: Structural and functional damages of whole body ionizing radiation on rat brain homogenate membranes and protective effect of amifostine.
abstract: To investigate the effects of whole body ionizing radiation at a sublethal dose on rat brain homogenate membranes and the protective effects of amifostine on these systems at molecular level.
  
  
  
  Sprague-Dawley rats, in the absence and presence of amifostine, were whole-body irradiated at a single dose of 8 Gy and decapitated after 24 h. The brain homogenate membranes of these rats were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
  
  
  
  Ionizing radiation caused a significant increase in the lipid to protein ratio and significant decreases in the ratios of olefinic = CH/lipid, CH2/lipid, carbonyl ester/lipid and CH3/lipid suggesting, respectively, a more excessive decrease in the protein content and the degradation of lipids as a result of lipid peroxidation. In addition, radiation changed the secondary structure of proteins and the status of packing of membrane lipid head groups. Furthermore, it caused a decrease in lipid order and an increase in membrane fluidity. The administration of amifostine before ionizing radiation inhibited all the radiation-induced alterations in brain homogenate membranes.
  
  
  
  The results revealed that whole body ionizing radiation at a sublethal dose causes significant alterations in the structure, composition and dynamics of brain homogenate membranes and amifostine has a protective effect on these membranes.
authors: a Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences , Duzce University , Duzce , Turkey.
authors: Gulgun
authors: G
authors: Cakmak
authors: b Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering , Middle East Technical University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors: Mete
authors: M
authors: Severcan
authors: c Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine , Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors: Faruk
authors: F
authors: Zorlu
authors: d Department of Biological Sciences , Middle East Technical University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors: Feride
authors: F
authors: Severcan
mesh_terms: D004999:Amifostine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D004999:Amifostine
keywords: Amifostine; FTIR spectroscopy; brain homogenate membrane; ionizing radiation; lipid peroxidation; protein secondary structure