{"title":"Artesunate alleviates radiation-induced submandibular gland epithelial cell damage in rats by reducing inflammation and apoptosis.","authors":"Yuchen Wang, Danni Zhao, Xiaolin Nong","doi":"10.1002/cbin.12261","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Salivary hypofunction is a common complication in patients with head and neck cancers following radiotherapy (RT). RT-induced inflammation in salivary gland cells leads to apoptosis and fibrosis. Artesunate (ART) is a bioactive compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis properties. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of ART on X-ray-induced injury of submandibular gland (SMG) epithelial cells in rats. Second-generation SMG epithelial cells were randomly divided into five groups: natural control group (NC), irradiated group (IR), and irradiated groups treated with ART at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 μM. Cells were harvested 48 h postirradiation for analysis. The results demonstrated that ART attenuated the damage to AQP5, a crucial indicator of salivary gland function, as evidenced by the decreased expression of AQP5 at both mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, ART decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines: IL-6 and TNF-α. TUNEL staining revealed reduced apoptosis in the ART groups, particularly the IR + 10 μM group. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of apoptosis cytokines Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 confirmed these findings. Furthermore, ART inhibited the expression of NF-κB at both mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, these results suggest that ART may reduce inflammation and apoptosis in SMG epithelial cells following radiation by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":9806,"journal":{"name":"Cell Biology International","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cell Biology International","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbin.12261","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CELL BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Salivary hypofunction is a common complication in patients with head and neck cancers following radiotherapy (RT). RT-induced inflammation in salivary gland cells leads to apoptosis and fibrosis. Artesunate (ART) is a bioactive compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis properties. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of ART on X-ray-induced injury of submandibular gland (SMG) epithelial cells in rats. Second-generation SMG epithelial cells were randomly divided into five groups: natural control group (NC), irradiated group (IR), and irradiated groups treated with ART at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 μM. Cells were harvested 48 h postirradiation for analysis. The results demonstrated that ART attenuated the damage to AQP5, a crucial indicator of salivary gland function, as evidenced by the decreased expression of AQP5 at both mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, ART decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines: IL-6 and TNF-α. TUNEL staining revealed reduced apoptosis in the ART groups, particularly the IR + 10 μM group. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis of apoptosis cytokines Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 confirmed these findings. Furthermore, ART inhibited the expression of NF-κB at both mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, these results suggest that ART may reduce inflammation and apoptosis in SMG epithelial cells following radiation by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.
期刊介绍:
Each month, the journal publishes easy-to-assimilate, up-to-the minute reports of experimental findings by researchers using a wide range of the latest techniques. Promoting the aims of cell biologists worldwide, papers reporting on structure and function - especially where they relate to the physiology of the whole cell - are strongly encouraged. Molecular biology is welcome, as long as articles report findings that are seen in the wider context of cell biology. In covering all areas of the cell, the journal is both appealing and accessible to a broad audience. Authors whose papers do not appeal to cell biologists in general because their topic is too specialized (e.g. infectious microbes, protozoology) are recommended to send them to more relevant journals. Papers reporting whole animal studies or work more suited to a medical journal, e.g. histopathological studies or clinical immunology, are unlikely to be accepted, unless they are fully focused on some important cellular aspect.
These last remarks extend particularly to papers on cancer. Unless firmly based on some deeper cellular or molecular biological principle, papers that are highly specialized in this field, with limited appeal to cell biologists at large, should be directed towards journals devoted to cancer, there being very many from which to choose.