Abstract
Exposure to ionizing total-body radiation suppresses hematopoiesis, resulting in decreased production of blood cells. Many researchers have demonstrated the critical role of zinc (Zn) in diverse physiological processes, such as growth and development, maintenance and priming of the immune system, and tissue repair. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of zinc sulfate (40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg) on early hematopoietic toxicity, caused by total-body irradiation (TBI) of rats with a single dose of 8 Gy. Both in the Zn 40 and in the Zn 80 groups, there were significantly increased white blood cell (WBC) count, when compared with control group. The WBC count was higher in the control group than in the TBI group. This result was statistically significant (p<0.05). Both the TBI+Zn 40 and the TBI+Zn 80 groups had a significantly protected WBC count against TBI. No difference was detected in any final measurement of thrombocyte count and hemoglobin level with direct comparison among all groups, with the exception that the hemoglobin level in the Zn 80 group compared to the control group. Whereas hemoglobin level in the control group was at a median figure of 13.98 g/dL (13.30–14.80), it was at a median figure of 14.25 g/dL (14.10–15.50) in the Zn 80 group. It would be worth while studying the effect of oral zinc sulfate supplements in radiation-treated cancer patients, in the hope of reducing radiation-induced toxicity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M. V. Ertekin, H. Uslu, I. Karslioglu, et al., Effect of oral zinc sulphate supplementation on agents of oropharyngeal infection in patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, J. Int. Med. Res. 31, 251–266 (2003).
D. Porock, Factors influencing the severity of radiation skin and oral mucosal reactions: development of a conceptual framework, Eur. J. Cancer Care 11, 33–43 (2002).
K. E. Sabitha and C. S. Shyamaladevi, Oxidant and antioxidant activity changes in patients with oral cancer and treated with radiotherapy, Oral Oncol. 35, 273–277 (1999).
D. Kilic, H. Sayan, B. Gonul, et al., The effect of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor on glutathione and lipid peroxidation in a rat model, Eur. J. Surg. Oncol. 26, 701–704 (2000).
N. Y. Haboubi, O. El-Zammer, S. T., O'Dwyer, et al., Radiation bowel disease: pathogenesis and management, Colorectal Dis. 2, 322–329 (2000).
N. O. Mackova and P. Pedorocko, Effect of liposomal muramyl tripeptide phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and indomethacin on hematopoietic recovery in irradiated mice, Physiol. Res. 51, 511–521 (2002).
M. A. Mouthon, A. Van Der Meeren, M. H. Gaugler, et al., Thrombopoietin promotes hemetopoietic recovery and survival after high dose whole body irradiation, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 43, 867–875 (1999).
R. Neal, R. H. Matthews, P. Lutz, et al., Antioxidant role ofn-acetyl cysteine isomers following high dose irradiation, Free Radical Biol. Med. 34, 689–695 (2003).
S. H. Kim, S. E. Lee, H. Oh, et al., The radioprotective effects of Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang: a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, Am. J. Chin. Med. 30, 127–137 (2002).
Vijayalaxmi, M. L. Meltz, R. J. Reiter, et al., Melatonin and protection from genetic damage in blood and bone marrow: whole-body irradiation studies in mice, J. Pineal Res. 27, 221–225 (1999).
G. L. Floersheim, N. Chiodetti, and A. Bieri, Differential radioprotection of bone marrow and tumour cells by zinc aspartate, Br. J. Radiol. 61, 501–508 (1988).
F. Momm, C. Bechtold, V. Rudat, et al., Alteration of radiation-induced hematotoxicity by amifostine, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 51, 947–951 (2001).
H. Y. Hsu, Y. H. Ho, and C. C. Lin, Protection of mouse bone marrow by Si-Wu-Tang against whole body irradiation, J. Ethanopharmacol. 52, 113–117 (1996).
W. Nothdurft, L. Kreja, and C. Selig, Acceleration of hemopoietic recovery in dogs after extended-field partial-body irradiation by treatment with colony-stimulating factors: rhG-CSF and rhGM-CSF, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 37, 1145–1154 (1997).
A. Q. Truong-Tran, J. Carter, R. Ruffin, R., et al., New insights into the role of zinc in the respiratory epithelium, Immunol. Cell. Biol. 79, 170–177 (2001).
E. Mocchegiani, M. Muzzioli, and R. Giacconi, Zinc metallothioneins, immune responses, survival and ageing, Biogerontology 1, 133–143 (2000).
A. S. Prasad and O. Kucuk, Zinc in cancer prevention, Cancer Metast. Rev. 21, 291–295 (2002).
B. N. Ames, Micronutrients prevent cancer and delay aging, Toxicol. Lett. 102(3), 5–18 (1998).
E. Mocchegiani, R. Giacconi, M. Muzzioli, et al., Zinc, infections and immunose-nescense, Mech. Ageing Dev. 12, 21–35 (2000).
D. Bagchi, M. Bagchi, and S. J. Stohs, Comparative in vitro oxygen radical scavenging ability of zinc methionine and selected zinc salts and antioxidants, Gen. Pharmacol. 28, 85–91 (1997).
T. M. Bray and W. J. Bettger, The physiological role of zinc as an antioxidant, Free Radical Biol. Med. 8, 281–291 (1990).
E. F. Rostan, H. V. DeBuys, D. L. Madey, et al., Evidence supporting zinc as an important antioxidant for skin, Int. J. Dermatol. 41, 606–611 (2002).
M. Ebadi, M. P. Leuschen, H. el Refaey, et al., The antioxidant properties of zinc and metallothionein, Neurochem. Int. 29, 159–166 (1996).
M. P. Zago and P. I. Oteiza, The antioxidant properties of zinc: interactions with iron and antioxidants, Free Radical Biol. Med. 31, 266–274 (2001).
M. Guven, B. Ozturk, A. Sayal, et al., Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in the blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease, Clin. Biochem. 33, 209–212 (2002).
E. Jourdan, N. Emonet-Piccardi, C. Didier, et al., Effects of cadmium and zinc on solar-simulated light-irradiated cells: potential role of zinc-metallothionein in zinc-induced genoprotection, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 405, 170–177 (2002).
R. S. MacDonald, The role of zinc in growth a cell proliferation, J. Nutr. 130(5S, Suppl), 1500–1508 (2000).
S. R. Gogu and K. C. Agrawal, The protective effect of zinc and N-Acetylcysteine in modulating Zidovudine induced hematopoietic toxicity, Life Sci. 59, 1323–1329 (1996).
L. Rink and P. Gabriel, Extracellular and immunological actions of zinc, Biometals 14, 367–383 (2001).
A. S. Prasad, Zinc and immunity, Mol. Cell. Biochem. 188, 63–69 (1998).
R. E. Black and S. Sazawal, Zinc and chilhood infections disease morbidity and mortality, Br. J. Nutr. 85(Suppl. 2), 125–129 (2001).
E. Mocchegiani, S. Veccia, F. Ancarani, et al., Benefit of oral zinc supplementation as an adjunct to zidovudine (AZT) therapy against opportunistic infections in AIDS, Int. J. Immunopharmacol. 17, 719–727 (1995).
F. T. Al-Gurairi, M. Al-Waiz, and K. E. Sharquie, Oral zinc sulphate in the treatment of recalcitrant viral warts: randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, Br. J. Dermatol. 146, 423–431 (2002).
K. E. Sharquie, R. A. Najim, I. B. Farjou, et al., Oral zinc sulphate in the treatment of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis, Clin. Exp. Dermatol. 26, 21–26 (2001).
A. H. Baqui, R. E. Black, S. El Arifeen, et al., Effect of zinc supplementation started during diarrhoea on morbidity and mortality in Bangladeshi children: community randomised trial, Br. Med. J. 325, 1059–1066 (2002).
Z. A. Bhutta, S. M. Bird, R. E. Black, et al., Therapeutic effects of oral zinc in acute and persistent diarrhea in children in developing countries: pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72, 1516–1522 (2000).
C. Ripamonti, E. Zecca, C. Brunelli, et al., A randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effects of zinc sulfate on cancer patients with taste alterations caused by head and neck irradiation, Cancer 82, 1938–1945 (1998).
A. Federico, P. Iodice, P. Federico, et al., Effects of selenium and zinc supplementation on nutritional status in patients with cancer of digestive tract, Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 55, 293–297 (2001).
F. Girodon, P. Galan, A. L. Monget, et al., Impact of trace elements and vitamin supplementation on immunity and infections in institutionalised elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial. MIN. VIT. AOX. geriatric network, Arch. Intern. Med. 159, 748–754 (1999).
A. H. Shankar and A. S. Prasad, Zinc and immune function: the biological basis of altered resistance to infection, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 68(Suppl.), 447–463 (1998).
N. Donmez, H. H. Donmez, E. Keskin, et al., Effects of zinc supplementation to ration on some hematological parameters in broiler chicks, Biol. Trace Element Res. 87, 125–131 (2002).
B. H. Bay, G. Singh, and K. H. Sit, Effect of intraperitoneal zinc on the hematological profiles of C57/6J mice, Singapore Med. J. 36, 271–272 (1995).
H. Ding, R. Peng, R. Kong, et al., Effects of high dietary zinc on mice (II)—Influence on growth, blood composition and immune function, Wei Sheng Yan Jiu 26, 325–326 (1997).
V. Rupic, L. Ivandija, S. Luterotti, et al., Plasma proteins and hematological parameters in fattening pigs fed different sources of dietary zinc, Acta Vet. Hung. 46, 111–126 (1998).
R. P. Gupta, P. C. Verma, and R. K. Gupta, Experimental zinc deficiency in guinea-pigs: clinical signs and some haematological studies, Br. J. Nutr. 54, 421–428 (1985).
J. Matsubara, T. Shida, K. Ishioka, et al., Protective effect of zinc against lethality in irradiated mice, Environ. Res. 41, 558–567 (1986).
L. Cai and M. G. Cherian, A daptive response to ionizing radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in rabbit lymphocytes: effect of pre-exposure to zinc, and copper salts, Mutat. Res. 369, 233–241 (1996).
G. L. Floersheim and P. Floersheim, Protection against ionising radiation and synergism with thiols by zinc aspartate, Br. J. Radiol. 59, 597–602 (1986).
M. T. Leccia, M. J. Richard, J. C. Beani, et al., Protective effect of selenium and zinc on UV-A damage in human skin fibroblasts, Photochem. Photobiol. 58, 548–553 (1993).
F. W. Sunderman, Jr., The influence of zinc on apoptosis, Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci. 25, 134–142 (1995).
G. L. Floersheim and A. Bieri, Further studies on selective radioprotection by organic zinc salts and synergism of zinc aspartate with WR 2721, Br. J. Radiol. 63, 468–475 (1990).
C. K. Bomfort, S. B. Sherriff, I. H. Kunkler, et al., Textbook of Radiotherapy, 5th ed. Longman, London (1993).
R. M. Nagler, Y. Eichen and A. Nagler, Redox metal chelation ameliorates radiation-induced bone marrow toxicity in a mouse model, Radiat. Res. 156, 205–209 (2001).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vecdi Ertekin, M., Karslioĝlu, I., Erdem, F. et al. Zinc sulfate in the prevention of total-body irradiation-induced early hematopoietic toxicity. Biol Trace Elem Res 100, 63–73 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:100:1:063
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:100:1:063