Title: Effect of silver nanoparticle and glycyrrhizic acid (SN-GLY) complex on repair of whole body radiation-induced cellular DNA damage and genomic instability in mice

Authors: Dhanya K. Chandrasekharan, Cherupally Krishnan Krishnan Nair

Addresses: Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555, Kerala, India. ' Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555, Kerala, India

Abstract: Silver nanoparticles (SN) were redispersed in aqueous solution of Pluronic F127 and complexed with the phytoceutical, glycyrrhizic acid (GLY) to obtain SN-GLY complex. The ability of the SN-GLY complex to offer protection against ionising radiation in post-irradiation scenarios was evaluated in ex vivo and in vivo models using Swiss albino mice. Treatment of mouse blood leucocytes with SN-GLY immediately after 4 Gy gamma radiation exposure, ex vivo, enhanced the rate of repair of cellular DNA damages as revealed by comet assay. Exposure of mice to 4 Gy whole body gamma radiation induced formation of strand breaks in cellular DNA and the unrepaired double strand breaks eventually caused the formation of micronuclei. The post-irradiation administration of SN-GLY resulted in a faster decrease in the comet parameters indicating enhanced cellular DNA repair process and reduction in micronucleus formation. Thus the studies showed effective radiation protection by SN-GLY in post-irradiation conditions.

Keywords: radioprotection; cellular DNA damage; micronucleus formation; comet assay; DNA repair; silver nanoparticles; glycyrrhizic acid; whole body radiation; genomic instability; mice; SN-GLY complex; ionising radiation; low radiation; mouse blood leucocytes; gamma radiation; radiation protection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2010.037668

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2010 Vol.7 No.6, pp.453 - 466

Published online: 23 Dec 2010 *

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