Flavonoids of Rosa roxburghii Tratt offers protection against radiation induced apoptosis and inflammation in mouse thymus

The present study evaluated the protective effect of the natural compound flavonoids of Rosa roxburghii Tratt (FRT) against γ-radiation-induced apoptosis and inflammation in mouse thymus cells in vivo and in vitro. Thymus cells and mice were exposed to 60Co γ-ray at a dose of 6 Gy. The radiation treatment induced significant cell apoptosis and inflammation. Radiation increased the expressions of cleaved caspase 3/8–10, AIF, and PARP-1, and FRT could mitigate their activation and inhibit subsequent apoptosis in the thymus both in vitro or in vivo. Irradiation increased the mRNA expression of ICAM-1/VCAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6 and TNF-α/NF-κB. Our results also indicated that FRT alleviated gene expression of some inflammatory factors such as ICAM-1/VCAM-1, TNF-α/NF-κB, but not IL-1α/IL-6. Irradiation increased the protein expression levels of ICAM-1/VCAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6 and TNF-α/NF-Κb, and our results also indicated that FRT alleviated protein level expression of certain inflammatory factors such as ICAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6, TNF-α/NF-κB, but not VCAM-1. Our results suggested that FRT enhanced radioprotection at least partially by regulating caspase 3/8–10, AIF, and PARP-1 to reduce apoptosis and by regulating ICAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6, TNF-α/NF-κB to reduce inflammation.