Impact of Lutein Intervention in Mice on the Radiation Induced Clastogenic Changes

One of the genetic effects of radiation is that it may lead to formation of single or double strand breaks in DNA which can be observed in differentially stained polychromatic or normochromatic erythrocytes (PCE and NCE respectively). In pursuit of finding a natural radioprotector to treat the radiation induced damages; lutein, a carotenoid pigment is one such approach. Swiss albino mice are administered with the compound (lutein/gallic acid/DMSO) with respective controls for 15 consecutive days after which they are irradiated. The whole blood is drawn for comet assay and the femur of the leg is removed to flush out the content of the bone marrow in BSA for the micronucleus assay. The comet slides are observed under the fluorescent microscope and the PCE/NCE or micronucleated PCEs or NCEs are scored blindly. Lutein in the present study has effectively reduced the olive moment and the tail moment. However, % DNA in tail has been maintained to normal levels in comparison to its control indicating lesser extent of damage to the genetic material. The percent micronucleated NCE (MnNCE) has been decreased in the group treated with lutein prior to radiation. The % MnPCE and the PCE/(PCE + NCE) ratio has been increased in all the irradiated groups; however lutein treatment has not drastically increased the formation of micronuclei in comparison to its control. This indicates that lutein shows a protective effect against the radiation induced cytogenetic damages in Swiss albino mice.