Aim. Research objective is to establish the possibility of modifying the astaxanthin (a carotenoid from a xanthophyll group) radiation-induced cytogenetic effects in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) in vitro. Methods. The cultivation of PBLs from four conventionally healthy volunteers, the preparation and analysis of uniformly stained slides of metaphase chromosomes. Astaxanthin in final concentrations of 2, 10 and 20 µg/ml was added into the culture of PBL prior to the incubation before irradiation with γ-quanta in a dose of 1 Gy. Results. Astaxanthin did not affect the level and spectrum of chromosome damage in non-irradiated PBLs both in individual persons, and along the group on average (P>0.05), indicating a lack of mutagenic activity. The effect of astaxanthin at a concentration of 20 μg/ml on irradiated PBLs resulted in a significant reduction of radioinduced cytogenetic effect in all donors. Medium-group level of chromosome aberrations decreased almost 3 times and was characterized by statistically significant (P<0.001) decrease in frequency of chromosomal type aberrations due to the classical unstable cytogenetic markers of radiation effect, dicentrics and ring chromosomes. Conclusions. Astaxanthin at a concentration of 20 µg/ml was found to reduce the mutagenic effect of ionizing radiation, thus suggesting its powerful radioprotective potential.
Keywords: astaxanthin, culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes, radiation mutagenesis, chromosome aberrations, radioprotective effect.
The impact of astaxanthin on radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro
