Low dose radiation prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Xin Jiang; Yaqiong Hong; Di Zhao; Xinxin Meng; Lijing Zhao; Yanwei Du; Zan Wang; Yan Zheng; Lu Cai; Hongyu Jiang

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.23013

Low dose radiation prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 7;9(1):332-345. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23013. eCollection 2018 Jan 2.

Authors

Xin Jiang¹, Yaqiong Hong¹, Di Zhao¹, Xinxin Meng¹, Lijing Zhao², Yanwei Du³, Zan Wang⁴, Yan Zheng⁵, Lu Cai⁶, Hongyu Jiang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Examination Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
² The School of Basic Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
³ Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
⁴ Department of Internal Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
⁵ Department of Gerontology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
⁶ Pediatric Research Institute, The Departments of Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, The University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a novel and non-invasive approach, low-dose radiation (LDR, 75 mGy X-rays), to prevent doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups, Control, LDR (a single exposure), Sham (treated same as LDR group except for irradiation), DOX (a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX at 7.5 mg/kg), and LDR/DOX (received LDR and 72 h later received DOX). Electrocardiogram analysis displayed several kinds of abnormal ECG profiles in DOX-treated mice, but less in LDR/DOX group. Cardiotoxicity indices included histopathological changes, oxidative stress markers, and measurements of mitochondrial membrane permeability. Pretreatment of DOX group with LDR reduced oxidative damages (reactive oxygen species formation, protein nitration, and lipid peroxidation) and increased the activities of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) in the heart of LDR/DOX mice compared to DOX mice. Pretreatment of DOX-treated mice with LDR also decreased DOX-induced cardiac cell apoptosis (TUNEL staining and cleaved caspase-3) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway (increased p53, Bax, and caspase-9 expression and decreased Bcl2 expression and ΔΨm dissipation). These results suggest that LDR could induce adaptation of the heart to DOX-induced toxicity. Cardiac protection by LDR may attribute to attenuate DOX-induced cell death via suppressing mitochondrial-dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling.

Keywords: adaptive response; doxorubicin; hormesis; low dose radiation; oxidative stress.