Antioxidant mechanisms in radiation injury and radioprotection

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5814894

Weiss, J F; Kumar, K S

Oxygen is a very important factor in determining radiosensitivity because it enhances the damage to cellular components caused by ionizing radiation, although mechanisms involved in UV irradiation damage may overlap ionizing radiation effects. This paper emphasizes chemical protection against damage by ionizing radiation and predominantly against the effects of photons (and gamma radiation). It is possible that free radicals and their products induced by ionizing radiation can interact with reactive oxygen species formed during normal processes, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide produced by phagocytic cells or during enzymatic processes (xanthine oxidase activity; enzymes involved in eicosanoid metabolism). Metals such as iron can promote free radical damage, whereas some bound metals have radioprotectant potential, e.g., metallothionein and ceruloplasmin. There is increasing evidence that maintenance of the proper oxidation-reduction state of cells by the interconversion of the peptide sulfhydryl glutathione (GSH), and its disulfide form (GSSG) is a factor in the modulation of cellular radiosensitivity. Other protein and nonprotein sulfhydryls may also play a role both as targets of radiation damage and as protectors. Other physiological antioxidants (vitamin E) and antioxidant enzymes are interrelated in their function of controlling oxidative processes. This review concentrates on the role of oxygen, glutathione, and antioxidant enzymes in radiosensitivity and how exogenous chemicals interact with these endogenous factors.

• Research Organization: Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Inst., Bethesda, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5814894
• Report Number(s): AD-A-205811/3/XAB; AFRRI-SR-88-47
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560150* -- Radiation Effects on Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANTIOXIDANTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
GLUTATHIONE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
INJURIES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRON
IRRADIATION
MASSLESS PARTICLES
METALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
PEROXIDES
PHAGOCYTES
PHOTONS
POLYPEPTIDES
PROTEINS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
SOMATIC CELLS
TOLERANCE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VITAMIN E
VITAMINS