EVALUATION THE ROLE OF VITAMIN C AS A RADIATION PROTECTIVE AGENT USING γ-H2AX FOR SIGNALING OF DNA DAMAGE ON IRRADIATED MICE TESTIS

An interesting feature of ionizing radiation, especially Gamma and X-rays as a DNA damaging factor is the range of lesions it induces. γ-H2AX foci are documented to represent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) as a biomarker for radiation-induced damage. Study design 42 adult male mice Albino BALB/c, had been divided randomly into 6 groups of seven mice each. Group 1 received a standard saline solution untreated also, do not expose to radiation. Group 2 mice received vitamin C (VC) (200 mg/kg.day) intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injected for 8 days without radiation. Group 3 control was exposed to γ-radiation. Group 4 control was exposed to X-ray radiation. Group 5 mice had been administrated with vitamin C in the identical dose of group 2 for 8 days, then exposed to (4 Gy) of γ-ray. Group 6 was administrated with vitamin dose in the same above and the same period, then exposed to (4 Gy) of X-ray. All groups had been sacrificed by cervical dislocation at (1, 3, and 24 h). Post radiation testis mice tissues were collected. A significant difference (P 0.05) between the group of vitamin C and with a control group exposed to both (γ, X-rays) in foci forming, but there is no significant difference (P 0.05) between γ and X- rays for the control and vitamin C groups. The results demonstrate that vitamin C is a good radioprotective agent for testis mice tissues; the effect of (γ and X-rays) had almost the same results on the mice testicle tissues with the same dose.