The action of topical application of Vitamin B12 ointment on radiodermatitis in a porcine model

Abstract

Radiodermatitis is an inevitable side effect of radiotherapy in cancer treatment and there is currently no consensus on effective drugs for treating the condition. Vitamin B₁₂ is known to be effective for repairing and regenerating damaged skin. However, there are few studies on the use of Vitamin B₁₂ for treating radiodermatitis. This study explored the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action of Vitamin B₁₂ ointment on radiodermatitis. A porcine model of grade IV radiodermatitis was established. The ointment was applied for 12 weeks after which histological staining, transmission electron microscopy, RT-qPCR, western blotting, and gene sequencing were performed for the evaluation of specific indicators in skin samples. After 12 weeks of observation, the Vitamin B₁₂ treatment was found to have significantly alleviated radiodermatitis. The treatment also significantly reduced the expression levels of NF-κB, COX-2, IL-6, and TGF-β in the skin samples. The pathways involved in the effects of the treatment were identified by analysing gene expression. In conclusion, Vitamin B₁₂ ointment was found to be highly effective for treating radiodermatitis, with strong anti-radiation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrosis effects. It is thus a promising drug candidate for the treatment of severe radiodermatitis.

Keywords: Vitamin B12; radiation fibrosis; radiation injury; radiodermatitis; radiotherapy.