1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose protects splenocytes against radiation-induced apoptosis in murine splenocytes

Abstract

Antioxidant property and hematopoietic repair capacity are important characteristics of radioprotective agents. Some studies have demonstrated that 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG), a molecule isolated from the waterlily, has antioxidant, hematopoietic repair, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we try to determine whether PGG extracted from a lily, Nymphaea tetragona var. angusta, has radioprotective effects on splenocytes in vitro against 60Co γ-ray irradiation with absorption doses of 2Gy and 4Gy. Results show that PGG treatment dramatically enhances the proliferation of splenocytes compared with irradiated but untreated controls. In addition, PGG treatment before irradiation protects the splenocytes from lethal effects of irradiation and decreases DNA damages as identified by the alkaline comet assay. PGG-treated cells also show less radiationinduced apoptosis. These cells have lower concentrations of the pro-apoptotic protein p53 and more of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. The results presented in this study suggest that PGG has a cytoprotective effect on immune cells exposed to normally damaging amount of radiation. Thus, PGG could be an effective, non-toxic radioprotective agent. © 2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.