Withaferin A, a steroidal lactone, selectively protects normal lymphocytes against ionizing radiation induced apoptosis and genotoxicity via activation of ERK/Nrf-2/HO-1 axis.

Increasing use of ionizing radiation (IR) in medicine, industry, agriculture and research ensues potential health hazards if not used properly or contained effectively. However, radioprotectors which are effective in clinical and/or accidental radiation exposures are still elusive. In this direction, we have explored the radioprotective potential of Withaferin A, a plant withanolide, which was recently shown to be safe and well tolerated in cancer patients in a clinical trial and is also known to be a radio-sensitizer in cancer cells. Our results show that, Withaferin A (WA) protected only normal lymphocytes, but not cancer cells, against IR-induced apoptosis and offered radioprotection even when added post-radiation exposure. WA treatment led to significant inhibition of IR-induced caspase-3 activation and decreased IR-induced DNA damage to lymphocytes and bone-marrow cells. WA reduced intracellular ROS and GSH levels and only thiol based anti-oxidants could abrogate the radio-protective effects of WA, indicating a crucial role of cellular/protein thiols in its biological activity. The inability of WA-glutathione adduct to offer radioprotection further underscored the role of cellular thiols. WA induced pro-survival transcription factor, Nrf-2, and expression of cytoprotective genes HO-1, catalase, SOD, peroxiredoxin-2 via ERK. Further, WA administration could rescue mice against radiation induced mortality, DNA damage, increase in micro-nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (mn-PCEs) and increased ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) to Normochromatic Erythrocytes (NCEs) in bone-marrow, demonstrating its potent in vivo the radio-protective efficacy. In conclusion, WA selectively protects normal cells against IR-induced apoptosis via activation of cytoprotective Nrf-2 pathway.