Coniferyl aldehyde attenuates radiation enteropathy by inhibiting cell death and promoting endothelial cell function

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 1;10(6):e0128552. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128552. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Radiation enteropathy is a common complication in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether radiation-induced intestinal injury could be alleviated by coniferyl aldehyde (CA), an HSF1-inducing agent that increases cellular HSP70 expression. We systemically administered CA to mice with radiation enteropathy following abdominal irradiation (IR) to demonstrate the protective effects of CA against radiation-induced gastrointestinal injury. CA clearly alleviated acute radiation-induced intestinal damage, as reflected by the histopathological data and it also attenuated sub-acute enteritis. CA prevented intestinal crypt cell death and protected the microvasculature in the lamina propria during the acute and sub-acute phases of damage. CA induced HSF1 and HSP70 expression in both intestinal epithelial cells and endothelial cells in vitro. Additionally, CA protected against not only the apoptotic cell death of both endothelial and epithelial cells but also the loss of endothelial cell function following IR, indicating that CA has beneficial effects on the intestine. Our results provide novel insight into the effects of CA and suggest its role as a therapeutic candidate for radiation-induced enteropathy due to its ability to promote rapid re-proliferation of the intestinal epithelium by the synergic effects of the inhibition of cell death and the promotion of endothelial cell function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrolein / analogs & derivatives*
  • Acrolein / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • Cell Death / drug effects*
  • Cell Death / radiation effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Endothelial Cells / radiation effects
  • Enteritis / drug therapy
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / radiation effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Intestinal Mucosa / radiation effects
  • Intestines / drug effects
  • Intestines / radiation effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Radiation
  • Radiation Injuries, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Radiation-Protective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Rats

Substances

  • Radiation-Protective Agents
  • coniferaldehyde
  • Acrolein

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Nuclear Research and Development Program (NRF-2012M2A2A7012483, NRF-2013M2A2A7043580 and NRF2013M2A2A704043384) of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Korean government (Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning).