Caffeic acid phenethyl ester attenuates ionize radiation-induced intestinal injury through modulation of oxidative stress, apoptosis and p38MAPK in rats

• CAPE attenuated intestinal pathological changes induced by radiation.
• CAPE reduced bacterial translocation and the level of plasma TNF-α.
• CAPE inhibited radiation-induced intestinal cell apoptosis.
• CAPE pretreatment decreased the activation of p38MAPK and the increased expression of ICAM-1 induced by radiation in intestinal mucosa.

Caffeic acid phenyl ester (CAPE) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and it can eliminate the free radicals. This study aimed to investigate the radioprotective effects of CAPE on X-ray irradiation induced intestinal injury in rats. Rats were intragastrically administered with 10 μmol/kg/d CAPE for 7 consecutive days before exposing them to a single dose of X-ray irradiation (9 Gy) to abdomen. Rats were sacrificed 72 h after exposure to radiation. We found that pretreatment with CAPE effectively attenuated intestinal pathology changes, apoptosis, oxidative stress, bacterial translocation, the content of nitric oxide and myeloperoxidase as well as the concentration of plasma tumor necrosis factor-α. Pretreatment with CAPE also reversed the activation of p38MAPK and the increased expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 induced by radiation in intestinal mucosa. Taken together, these results suggest that pretreatment with CAPE could be a promising candidate for treating radiation-induced intestinal injury.

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