Abstract:
Objective Aims to investigate the protective effects of Vitex trifolia L. extracts on hematopoietic radiation injury in mice.
Methods (1) For in vitro analysis, bone marrow cells were flushed and divided into control group, Vitex trifolia L. group, radiation group, and Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group. The concentrations of Vitex trifolia L. were 0.01 and 0.001 mg/mL in the V. trifolia L. group and 0.001 mg/mL in the Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group. Cells in the radiation group and Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group were irradiated with 1 Gy. Cell viability was detected by microplate reader, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) channel, and apoptosis level was detected by FITC and phycoerythrin (PE) channels. (2) For in vivo analysis, 15 male C57BL/6 mice were divided by simple random sampling into the following groups: control group (n=5), radiation group (n=5), and Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group (ig, 400 mg/kg/day, 7 times, n=5). Mice in the control group were sham irradiated (0 Gy). Mice in the radiation group and the Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group were total body irradiated with a single dose of 2 Gy. The extract of Vitex trifolia L. was prepared with dimethyl sulfoxide to make a solution of 500 mg/mL and diluted with normal saline before gavage. Mice in the Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group were given 0.2 mL of Vitex trifolia L. extract (400 mg/kg) for 7 days before irradiation. Mice were sacrificed 10 days after irradiation. Peripheral blood and bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNC) were counted by automatic hematology analyzer. The number and percentage of hematopoietic stem progenitor cells and the levels of ROS, human phosphorylated histone H2A variants (γH2AX), and phosphorylated p38 (pp38) expression in bone marrow hematopoietic cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Independent sample t test (homogeneity of variance) was used to compare measured data with normal distribution between two groups.
Results The viability of bone marrow cells in the Vitex trifolia L. (0.001 mg/mL)+radiation group increased (585 485.00±37 335.80), the ROS level decreased (12 260.67±232.34), and the percentage of apoptosis significantly decreased ((28.97±0.32)%) compared with those in the radiation group ((460 384.55±53 786.37, 17 969.67±467.24, and (35.33±0.35)%, respectively)). The differences were all statistically significant (t=4.245, 18.950, 23.161, respectively; all P<0.01). The following parameters increased in comparison with the radiation group: bone marrow nucleated cells count ((23.34±3.01)×106/mouse vs. (16.73±2.57) ×106/mouse), white blood cell count ((2.80±0.35)×109/L vs. (2.21±0.24)×109/L), red blood cell count ((10.54±0.51)×1012/L vs. (9.68±0.26)×1012/L), platelet count ((339.80±49.42)×109/L vs. (289.40±54.08)×109/L), and hemoglobin content ((139.20±3.66) g/L vs. (129.20±3.87) g/L) (t=2.582, 2.824, 2.999, 1.376, 9.739, respectively; all P<0.01). The number and percentage of hematopoietic progenitor cells ((34916.03±697.36)/mouse vs. (26388.04±241.78)/mouse; (29.83±4.32)% vs. (22.76±2.20)%) and the number of hematopoietic stem cells ((2 074.00±23.12)/mouse vs.(929.40±166.52)/mouse) increased in the Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group compared with those in the radiation group, and the differences were statistically significant (t=5.423, 9.171, 3.175, respectively; all P<0.01). The levles of ROS in the hematopoietic stem cells decreased ((7 750.20±589.05) vs. (8 515.20±1 036.46), (9 360.20±831.97) vs. (10 291.40±767.57)) in the Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group compared with those in the radiation group, and the differences was not statistically significant (t=1.435, 1.839; P=0.189, 0.103). The expression of γH2AX in hematopoietic stem cells significantly decreased ((693.20±4.82) vs. (751.60±32.72), t=3.064, P<0.05). The expression of pp38 in the hematopoietic stem progenitor cells of Vitex trifolia L.+radiation group decreased compared with that in the radiation group (1181.20±11.28 vs. 1183.60±49.70, 1411.20±50.25 vs. 1424.40±80.95), but the difference was not statistically significant (t=0.105, 0.765; P=0.014, 0.310).
Conclusion Vitex trifolia L. extracts can reduce oxidative stress and inhibit DNA damage in hematopoietic stem cells to achieve radiation protection.