We evaluated the effects of L-carnitine on apoptosis of germ cells in the rat testis following irradiation. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Control group received sham irradiation plus physiological saline. Radiotherapy group received scrotal gamma-irradiation of 10 Gy as a single dose plus physiological saline. Radiotherapy + L-carnitine group received scrotal irradiation plus 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally L-carnitine. Twenty-four hours post-irradiation, the rats were sacrificed and testes were harvested. Testicular damage was examined by light and electron microscopy, and germ cell apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate in situ nick end-labeling (TUNEL) technique. Morphologically, examination of irradiated testis revealed presence of disorganization and desquamation of germinal cells and the reduction in sperm count in seminiferous tubule lumen. Under electron microscopy, the morphological signs of apoptosis were frequently detected in spermatogonia. Apoptotic spermatogonia showed the marginal condensation of chromatin onto the nuclear lamina, nucleus and cytoplasm shrinkage and still functioning cell organelles. TUNEL-positive cells were significantly more numerous in irradiated rats than in control rats. L-carnitine treatment significantly attenuated the radiation-induced morphological changes and germ cell apoptosis in the irradiated rat testis. In conclusion, these results suggested that L-carnitine supplementation during the radiotherapy may be beneficial for spermatogenesis following testicular irradiation by decreasing germ cell apoptosis.

1. The aim of the present study was to compare the protective effects of L-carnitine and amifostine against radiation-induced late nephrotoxicity using technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid scintigraphy and histopathological examination. 2. Seventy-one Albino rats were randomly divided into six groups as follows: (i) AMI + RAD (n = 15), 200 mg/kg, i.p., amifostine 30 min prior to irradiation (a single dose of 9 Gy); (ii) LC + RAD (n = 15), 300 mg/kg, i.p., L-carnitine 30 min prior to irradiation; (iii) LC (n = 10), 300 mg/kg, i.p., L-carnitine 30 min prior to sham irradiation; (iv) AMI (n = 10), 200 mg/kg, i.p., amifostine 30 min prior to sham irradiation; RAD (n = 11), 1 mL/kg, i.p., normal saline 30 min prior to irradiation; and (vi) control (n = 10), 1 mL/kg, i.p., normal saline 30 min prior to sham irradiation. Scintigraphy was performed before treatment and again 6 months after treatment. Kidneys were examined by light microscopy and a histopathological scoring system was used to assess the degree of renal damage. 3. The main histopathological findings were proximal tubular damage and interstitial fibrosis. Glomerular injury was similar in all groups. Tubular degeneration and atrophy were less common in the AMI + RAD group than in the RAD group (P = 0.011 and P = 0.015, respectively), as well as in the LC + RAD group compared with the RAD group (P = 0.028 and P = 0.036, respectively). Interstitial fibrosis in the AMI + RAD and LC + RAD groups was significantly less than that in the RAD group (P = 0.015 and P = 0.015, respectively). The highest total renal injury score (9) was seen in the RAD group. On scintigraphy, there were significant differences in post-treatment time to peak count (T(max)) and time from peak count to half count (T((1/2))) values (P = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively) between groups in the right kidney. In the control and RAD groups, the T((1/2)) of the right kidney was 8 +/- 2 and 21 +/- 2 min, respectively. The T(max) values for the AMI + RAD and LC + RAD groups (2.8 +/- 0.2 and 3.2 +/- 0.2 min, respectively) were similar to those in the control group (2.5 +/- 0.3 min). 4. Based on the results of the present study, L-carnitine and amifostine have comparable and significant protective effects against radiation-induced late nephrotoxicity.

In the current study, amifostine is evaluated for its radioprotective role in serum and kidney tissue by oxidative (malondialdehyde-MDA, advanced oxidation protein product-AOPP) and antioxidative markers (catalase, glutathione-GSH, free-thiols-F-SH). Thirty Wistar albino 3-4 months old, female rats, were randomly divided into Group I (n = 10): Control, Group II (n = 10): Irradiation-alone, Group III (n = 10): Amifostine before irradiation. In Group II and III, right kidneys of the rats were irradiated with a single dose of 6 Gy using a 60Co treatment unit. Rats in Group III received 200 mg/kg amifostine intraperitoneally, 30 min prior to irradiation. Following sacrification at 24th week, blood and kidney tissue samples were collected. Statistical analysis was done by One-way ANOVA, Post hoc Bonferroni, Dunnett T3, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Administration of amifostine significantly decreased the serum AOPP and MDA levels when compared to the irradiation-only group (P = 0.004, P = 0.006; respectively). Also amifostine significantly increased serum catalase activities and GSH levels, when given 30 min prior to irradiation (P = 00.02, P = 0.000; respectively). In the kidney tissue, administration of amifostine significantly decreased AOPP and MDA levels (P = 0.002, P = 0.016; respectively). Tissue GSH activity was increased following amifostine administration (P = 0.001). There was no statistically significant result on histopathological evaluation. Amifostine may reduce radiation-induced nephropathy by inhibiting chronic oxidative stress. Biomarkers of oxidative stress in serum and kidney tissue may be used for evaluation of the radiation-induced nephropathy.

Static kidney scintigraphy represents an objective and reproducible method to noninvasively investigate kidney function following irradiation. Amifostine produced a significant reduction in radiation-induced loss of renal function.

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Radiation safety has become more important issue due to increased use of ionizing radiation in diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the awareness and knowledge level concerning radiation safety among healthcare professionals who work in a radiation environment. The study population consisted of healthcare professionals who work in a radiation environment at a state hospital, a university hospital and a private hospital in Edirne province. The survey used in this study was prepared by the investigators after reviewing previous studies on similar subjects, and opinions were sought from experts in relevant fields. The survey consists of two parts and a total of 28 questions. Results of this study revealed that the rate of correct answers was 68.6% for questions on radiation safety among all healthcare professionals. The present study demonstrated an insufficient level of knowledge and awareness on radiation safety, even in the occupational groups that continuously work in a radiation environment. Periodic trainings should be conducted in hospitals. Pre-test and posttest exercises should be performed in order to increase the effectiveness of the trainings, and interactive case studies specific to the clinic should be included in the program. Finally, with electronic learning programs which may be implemented at national level, all relevant persons would have access to these programs.

Several studies have reported differences in radiation toxicity between the sexes, but these differences have not been tested with respect to histopathology and genes. This animal study aimed to show an association between histopathological findings of radiation-induced lung toxicity and the genes ATM, SOD2, TGF-β1, XRCC1, XRCC3 and HHR2. In all, 120 animals were randomly divided into 2 control groups (male and female) and experimental groups comprising fifteen rats stratified by sex, radiotherapy (0 Gy vs. 10 Gy), and time to sacrifice (6, 12, and 24 weeks postirradiation). Histopathological evaluations for lung injury, namely, intra-alveolar edema, alveolar neutrophils, intra-alveolar erythrocytes, activated macrophages, intra-alveolar fibrosis, hyaline arteriosclerosis, and collapse were performed under a light microscope using a grid system; the evaluations were semi quantitatively scored. Then, the alveolar wall thickness was measured. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine gene expression differences in ATM, TGF-β1, XRCC1, XRCC3, SOD2 and HHR2L among the groups. Histopathological data showed that radiation-induced acute, subacute, and chronic lung toxicity were worse in male rats. The expression levels of the evaluated genes were significantly higher in females than males in the control group, but this difference was lost over time after radiotherapy. Less toxicity in females may be attributable to the fact that the expression of the evaluated genes was higher in normal lung tissue in females than in males and the changes in gene expression patterns in the postradiotherapy period played a protective role in females. Additional data related to pulmonary function, lung weights, imaging, or outcomes are needed to support this data that is based on histopathology alone.