Development of radioprotective agents for the intestine in radiotherapy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461913
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: EJIMA YASUO 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (70423233)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SASAKI Ryohei 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 教授 (30346267) ; YOSHIDA Kenji 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (80351906) ; MIYAWAKI Daisuke 神戸大学, 医学(系)研究科, 助教 (30546502)
• Research Collaborator: OSUGA Saki ; INUBUSHI Sachiko ; MUKUMOTO Naritoshi ; AKASAKA Hiroaki ; SHIMIZU Yasuyuki ; UCHIDA Ray
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 放射線治療 / 抗酸化物質 / 放射線防護

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Protection of normal structure of the intestine is important under intense radiation therapy. We focused on the reduced form of Coenzyme Q10 (reduced-CoQ10), which is an antioxidant and naturally available in the human body, and examined its radioprotective effect on the small intestine of mice. Reduced-CoQ10, when administered orally, diminished the radiation-mediated damage of villi and apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells, and also reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production upon irradiation. In contrast to that in normal cells, reduced-CoQ10 did not diminish the cytotoxic effects of irradiation in tumor cells in vitro, but decreased their survival by increasing ROS production. Further, to clarify the metabolic changes induced by reduced-CoQ10 and irradiation, metabolomics analysis of mice serum and intestinal tissue samples was performed. Metabolomic profiling identified taurine as a potential biomarker for radiation-mediated damage of the intestine.

Free Research Field

放射線科学