Rajabinasab Fatemeh, Hajimirzaei Pooya, Ramezani Fatemeh, Moayer Fariborz, Gorjipour Fazel, Nikoofar Alireza, Hassanzadeh Leila, Hamblin Michael R, Janzadeh Atousa, Paydar Reza
Department of Radiation Sciences, Allied Medicine Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Radiation Biology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Curr Radiopharm. 2025;18(2):147-157. doi: 10.2174/0118744710336823241011095632.
The lung is a moderately radio-sensitive organ. When cells are damaged due to accidental radiation exposure or treatment, they release molecules that lead to the recruitment of immune cells, accumulating inflammatory cytokines at the site of damage. Apigenin (Api) is a natural flavonoid known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated the radioprotective properties of Api in the lung.
Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly assigned to nine groups: control, radiation (Rad), CMC+Rad, Api10+Rad, and Api20+Rad. Api was administered with an intraperitoneal injection for 7 days, after which the rats were irradiated with 6 Gy whole-body X-ray. At 6 and 72 hours post-irradiation, the rats were euthanized, and their lung tissue was extracted.
Radiation led to increased alveolar wall thickness and the infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes. Furthermore, the expression levels of inflammatory factors such as a nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells (NF-κB), Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), and epigenetic factors including DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a) and Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) were elevated in the lung tissue following radiation. Meanwhile, the expression level of IκB-α decreased. However, administration of Api (at both 10&20 mg/kg) reversed the adverse effects of radiation.
Api administration mitigated radiation-induced lung damage by reversing inflammatory and epigenetic changes.
肺是一种对辐射中度敏感的器官。当细胞因意外辐射暴露或治疗而受损时，它们会释放导致免疫细胞募集的分子，在损伤部位积累炎性细胞因子。芹菜素（Api）是一种以其抗炎特性而闻名的天然黄酮类化合物。在本研究中，我们调查了Api在肺部的辐射防护特性。
将36只Wistar大鼠随机分为9组：对照组、辐射组（Rad）、羧甲基纤维素+辐射组（CMC+Rad）、10mg/kg芹菜素+辐射组（Api10+Rad）和20mg/kg芹菜素+辐射组（Api20+Rad）。腹腔注射Api 7天，之后对大鼠进行6 Gy全身X射线照射。在照射后6小时和72小时，对大鼠实施安乐死并提取其肺组织。
辐射导致肺泡壁厚度增加以及巨噬细胞和淋巴细胞浸润。此外，辐射后肺组织中B细胞κ轻链基因增强子的核因子（NF-κB）、糖原合酶激酶-3β（GSK-3β）、转化生长因子-β1（TGF-β1）等炎性因子以及包括DNA甲基转移酶3a（DNMT3a）和组蛋白去乙酰化酶2（HDAC2）在内的表观遗传因子的表达水平升高。同时，IκB-α的表达水平降低。然而，给予Api（10和20mg/kg）可逆转辐射的不良影响。
给予Api可通过逆转炎症和表观遗传变化减轻辐射诱导的肺损伤。
