Radioprotective potential of whey protein against gamma irradiation-induced lingual damage

Hanaa M Hassan; Asmaa M Abdeen; Ibrahim Y Abdelrahman; Walied Abdo; Saher S Mohammed; Ahmed Abdeen; Afaf Abdelkader; Rada Olga; Liana Fericean; Samah F Ibrahim; Heba I Ghamry; Farouk S Elgendy; Safwa M Sorour; Abeer A Eldeeb; Osama Ahmed; Fatema Rashed; Maha M Bikheet

doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1293230

Radioprotective potential of whey protein against gamma irradiation-induced lingual damage

Front Pharmacol. 2023 Dec 13:14:1293230. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1293230. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Hanaa M Hassan¹, Asmaa M Abdeen², Ibrahim Y Abdelrahman³, Walied Abdo⁴, Saher S Mohammed², Ahmed Abdeen⁵, Afaf Abdelkader⁶, Rada Olga⁷, Liana Fericean⁷, Samah F Ibrahim⁸, Heba I Ghamry⁹, Farouk S Elgendy⁶, Safwa M Sorour¹⁰, Abeer A Eldeeb¹⁰, Osama Ahmed¹¹, Fatema Rashed¹², Maha M Bikheet¹³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
² Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
³ Department of Radiation Biology, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Biology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences, Timișoara, Romania.
⁸ Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Nutrition and Food Sciences, Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Home Economics, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
¹¹ Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh, Egypt.
¹² Department of Basic Medical and Dental Science, Faculty of Dentistry, Zarqaa University, Zarqaa, Jordan.
¹³ Dairy Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.

Abstract

Introduction: Ionizing radiation (IR) is effectively used in the treatment of oral malignancies; however, it might also significantly harm the surrounding tissues. Whey protein isolate (WP) is a protein derived from milk that exhibits a wide range of bioactivities. Therefore, the present research aimed to delineate the mitigating impact of WP against gamma irradiation-induced lingual damage. Methods: Rats were randomized into 5 groups: Control (saline, orally, 14 days), WP (WP; 0.5 g/kg b. w., orally, 14 days), IR (saline, orally, 14 days, exposed to 6 and 3 Gy on days 4 and 6, respectively), WP+IR (WP was given orally for 14 days before and after IR exposure; exposed to 6 and 3 Gy on days 4 and 6, respectively), and IR+WP (WP, orally, started 24 h after 1^st IR exposure till the end of the experiment) groups. Samples were collected at two-time intervals (on the 7^th and 14^th days). Results and Discussion: Oxidative stress was stimulated upon IR exposure in tongue, indicated by boosted malondialdehyde (MDA) level, along with a decrease in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities. Additionally, IR exposure depicted an increase of serum IgE, inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, along with overexpression mRNA levels of nuclear factor kappa-B transcription factor/p65 (NF-κB/p65), and down-regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and heme oxygenase (HO-1) mRNA levels in tongue tissue. Moreover, IR triggered alterations in lingual histological architecture. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of WP mitigated oxidative damage, inflammation, and desquamation that were brought on following IR exposure. The protective administration of WP markedly decreases IR-induced lingual harm compared to the mitigation protocol. Our findings recommend WP supplements to the diets of cancer patients undergoing IR that might aid radioprotective effects.

Keywords: inflammation; ionizing radiation; mRNA expression; oxidative damage; tongue; whey protein.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through small group Research Project under grant number RGP1/368/44 and the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R127), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.