Abstract
Recent studies showed that hydrogen can be used as an effective radioprotective agent through scavenging free radicals. This study was undertaken to evaluate the radioprotective effects of hydrogen on immune system in mice. H2 was dissolved in physiological saline using an apparatus produced by our department. Spleen index and histological analysis were used to evaluate the splenic structural damage. Spleen superoxide dismutase, GSH, MDA were measured to appraise the antioxidant capacity and a DCF assay for the measurement of radical oxygen species. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by an Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining method as well as the apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and c-caspase-3. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells subtypes were detected by flow cytometry with FITC-labelled antimouse CD4 and PE antimouse CD8 staining. Real-time PCR was utilized to determine the CD4+ T cell subtypes and related cytokines. Our study demonstrated that pre-treatment with H2 could increase the spleen index and attenuate the radiation damage on splenic structure. Radical oxygen species level was also reduced by H2 treatment. H2 also inhibited radiation-induced apoptosis in splenocytes and down-regulated pro-apoptotic proteins in living mice. Radiation-induced imbalance of T cells was attenuated by H2. Finally, we found that H2 could regulate the polarization of CD4+ T cells and the level of related cytokines. This study suggests H2 as an effective radioprotective agent on immune system by scavenging reactive oxygen species.
Highlights
The immune system is one of the most important defence mechanisms against various environmental agents including ionizing radiation
Our research showed that hydrogen can reduce the apoptosis of splenocytes caused by radiation [10]
We found that hydrogen treatment could reduce radiation damage on spleen and reverse the radiation-induced imbalance of T cells, which suggest H2 as an effective modulator on the immune dysfunction
Summary
The immune system is one of the most important defence mechanisms against various environmental agents including ionizing radiation. Epidemiological long-term studies demonstrated that ionizing radiation could induce a dose-dependent impairment of the immune response as well as a persistent inflammatory status with deregulation of cytokines production [1, 2]. The dysregulation of immune homeostasis, in particular the function of CD4+ T cells, may influence health status and impede tissue repair after exposed to ionizing radiation [3]. Our research showed that hydrogen can reduce the apoptosis of splenocytes caused by radiation [10]. We found that hydrogen treatment could reduce radiation damage on spleen and reverse the radiation-induced imbalance of T cells, which suggest H2 as an effective modulator on the immune dysfunction
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