Gamma tocotrienol, a potent radioprotector, preferentially upregulates expression of anti-apoptotic genes to promote intestinal cell survival

• Mechanisms of gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) mediated protection of intestinal tissue from radiation toxicity were studied in mice.
• Male CD2F1 mice (10–12 weeks) were administered a single subcutaneous dose of 200 mg/kg GT3 24 h prior to 11 Gy γ radiation.
• Jejunum was harvested surgically 4 and 24 h after radiation and PCR array was performed for 84 apoptosis related genes.
• GT3 induced persistent upregulation of anti- and downregulation of pro-apoptotic factors.
• TUNEL and crypt survival assay, and immunoblot results were supportive of PCR data.

Gamma tocotrienol (GT3) has been reported as a potent ameliorator of radiation-induced gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity when administered prophylactically. This study aimed to evaluate the role of GT3 mediated pro- and anti-apoptotic gene regulation in protecting mice from radiation-induced GI damage.Male 10- to 12-weeks-old CD2F1 mice were administered with a single dose of 200 mg/kg of GT3 or equal volume of vehicle (5% Tween-80) 24 h before exposure to 11 Gy of whole-body γ-radiation. Mouse jejunum was surgically removed 4 and 24 h after radiation exposure, and was used for PCR array, histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblot analysis.Results were compared among vehicle pre-treated no radiation, vehicle pre-treated irradiated, and GT3 pre-treated irradiated groups. GT3 pretreated irradiated groups, both 4 h and 24 h after radiation, showed greater upregulation of anti-apoptotic gene expression than vehicle pretreated irradiated groups. TUNEL staining and intestinal crypt analysis showed protection of jejunum after GT3 pre-treatment and immunoblot results were supportive of PCR data.Our study demonstrated that GT3-mediated protection of intestinal cells from a GI-toxic dose of radiation occurred via upregulation of antiapoptotic and downregulation of pro-apoptotic factors, both at the transcript as well as at the protein levels.