Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Radiation Nephropathy in Rats

Abstract

The kidney is one of the most radiosensitive organs in the abdominal cavity and is the dose-limiting structure in cancer patients receiving abdominal or total body irradiation. In the present study, the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on radiation nephropathy was evaluated in rats. A total of 72 rats were equally randomized into 4 groups: Control, CoQ10, irradiation with 10 Gy (RT) + placebo, or RT + CoQ10. The 2 RT groups received single 10 Gy of abdominal irradiation. The 2 CoQ10 groups were supplemented daily with 1 mL of soybean oil containing 10 mg/kg of CoQ10. The RT + placebo and control groups received same dose of soybean oil. After 24 weeks, laboratory and histopathologic findings were compared. The 2 RT groups showed significant increases in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels and significant pathologic changes such as glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. CoQ10 supplementation resulted in significant reductions of BUN and creatinine levels compared with the RT + placebo group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.038, respectively). CoQ10 treatment significantly attenuated glomerular and tubular changes of irradiated kidney in semiquantitative analysis (P < 0.001 for both). Administration of CoQ10 can alleviate the radiation-induced nephropathy.

Radiation Protection and Mitigation by Natural Antioxidants and Flavonoids: Implications to Radiotherapy and Radiation Disasters

“…Q10 showed a radioprotective role in some organs. Ki et al [262] showed that daily administering of 10 mg/kg CoQ10 to rats for 24 weeks after irradiating the abdomen resulted in a significant improvement in kidney function. In addition, Q10 reduced glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis caused by radiation.…”

“…Treatment with a similar dose of Q10 has shown the ability to ameliorate oxidative damage in rats' brain [263]. In animal studies, administering Q10 in higher doses like 100 mg/kg have shown protection against other side effects of ionizing radiation such as fatigue [264]. Although human studies are very limited, it has shown amelioration of pneumonitis in patients with lung cancer.…”

<p>Combined Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields and X-Ray in Renal Tissue and Function</p>

“…Radiation nephropathy could be one of the chronic outcomes of radiation exposure. 26 The comparison of frequencies and percentages of different histopathological changes due to 8 Gy dose of the x-ray with control, Mobile+RT, and Wi-Fi+RT interventions revealed that tubular atrophy and vessel wall thickening are associated with pre-exposure to Wi-Fi intervention. The serum level of BUN, Cr, and BUN/Cr ratio is in agreement with this finding.…”

“…Moreover, we have evaluated the histopathological changes after about four weeks of x-ray irradiation, but Ki et al have evaluated the renal tissue 24 weeks after irradiation, and reported progressive glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. 26 …”

Mitochondrial adaptation in human mesenchymal stem cells following ionizing radiation

“…Indeed, CoQ is an electron carrier that shuttles electrons to CIII, is a potent antioxidant, and also associates with ETC supercomplexes (51). It is perhaps not surprising that CoQ in itself protects cells again IR damage (52, 53). …”