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Podophyllum hexandrum and its active constituents: Novel radioprotectants. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 146:112555. [PMID: 34954639 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Human exposure to radiation has expanded considerably in recent years, due to a wide range of medical, agricultural, and industrial applications. Despite its beneficial utilities, radiation is also known to have a deleterious effect on cells and tissues, largely through the creation of free radicals, which cause severe damage to biological systems through processes such as DNA double/single-strand fragmentation, protein modification, and upregulation of lipid peroxidation pathways. In addition, radiation damages genetic material while inducing hereditary genotoxicity. Developing measures to counter radiation-induced damage is thus considered to be of significant importance. Considering the inherent capability of plants to survive radiative conditions, certain plants and natural compounds have been the subject of investigations to explore and harness their natural radioprotective abilities. Podophyllum hexandrum, an Indian medicinal plant with several known traditional phytotherapeutic uses, is considered in particular to be of immense therapeutic importance. Recent studies have been conducted to validate its radioprotective potential alongside discovering its protective mechanisms following γ-radiation-induced mortality and disorder in both mice and human cells. These findings show that Podophyllum and its constituents/natural compounds protect the lungs, gastrointestinal tissues, hemopoietic system, and testis by inducing DNA repair pathways, apoptosis inhibition, free radical scavenging, metal chelation, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In this review, we have provided an updated, comprehensive summary of ionizing radiations and their impacts on biological systems, highlighting the mechanistic and radioprotective role of natural compounds from Podophyllum hexandrum.
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Pavlopoulou A, Asfa S, Gioukakis E, Mavragani IV, Nikitaki Z, Takan I, Pouget JP, Harrison L, Georgakilas AG. In Silico Investigation of the Biological Implications of Complex DNA Damage with Emphasis in Cancer Radiotherapy through a Systems Biology Approach. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247602. [PMID: 34946681 PMCID: PMC8708251 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Different types of DNA lesions forming in close vicinity, create clusters of damaged sites termed as “clustered/complex DNA damage” and they are considered to be a major challenge for DNA repair mechanisms resulting in significant repair delays and induction of genomic instability. Upon detection of DNA damage, the corresponding DNA damage response and repair (DDR/R) mechanisms are activated. The inability of cells to process clustered DNA lesions efficiently has a great impact on the normal function and survival of cells. If complex lesions are left unrepaired or misrepaired, they can lead to mutations and if persistent, they may lead to apoptotic cell death. In this in silico study, and through rigorous data mining, we have identified human genes that are activated upon complex DNA damage induction like in the case of ionizing radiation (IR) and beyond the standard DNA repair pathways, and are also involved in cancer pathways, by employing stringent bioinformatics and systems biology methodologies. Given that IR can cause repair resistant lesions within a short DNA segment (a few nm), thereby augmenting the hazardous and toxic effects of radiation, we also investigated the possible implication of the most biologically important of those genes in comorbid non-neoplastic diseases through network integration, as well as their potential for predicting survival in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasia Pavlopoulou
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Balcova, Izmir 35340, Turkey; (A.P.); (S.A.); (I.T.)
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Genomics and Molecular Biotechnology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Balcova, Izmir 35220, Turkey
| | - Seyedehsadaf Asfa
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Balcova, Izmir 35340, Turkey; (A.P.); (S.A.); (I.T.)
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Genomics and Molecular Biotechnology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Balcova, Izmir 35220, Turkey
| | - Evangelos Gioukakis
- Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15780 Zografou, Greece; (E.G.); (I.V.M.); (Z.N.)
| | - Ifigeneia V. Mavragani
- Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15780 Zografou, Greece; (E.G.); (I.V.M.); (Z.N.)
| | - Zacharenia Nikitaki
- Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15780 Zografou, Greece; (E.G.); (I.V.M.); (Z.N.)
| | - Işıl Takan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Balcova, Izmir 35340, Turkey; (A.P.); (S.A.); (I.T.)
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Genomics and Molecular Biotechnology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Balcova, Izmir 35220, Turkey
| | - Jean-Pierre Pouget
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, INSERM U1194, Université de Montpellier, Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France;
| | - Lynn Harrison
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA;
| | - Alexandros G. Georgakilas
- Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15780 Zografou, Greece; (E.G.); (I.V.M.); (Z.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-772-4453
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