Protection of Radiation-Induced DNA Damage by Functional Cosmeceutical Poly-Gamma-Glutamate

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 527 - 533
• Main Authors: Oh, Yu-Jin, Kwak, Mi-Sun, Sung, Moon-Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 한국미생물·생명공학회 28.04.2018
• Subjects: Cosmeceuticals - administration & dosage; Cosmeceuticals - chemistry; Cosmeceuticals - pharmacology; DNA - drug effects; DNA - radiation effects; DNA Damage - drug effects; DNA Damage - radiation effects; Free Radicals - adverse effects; Gamma Rays - adverse effects; Glutamates - administration & dosage; Glutamates - chemistry; Glutamates - pharmacology; Glutathione - metabolism; Radiation-Protective Agents - administration & dosage; Radiation-Protective Agents - chemistry; Radiation-Protective Agents - pharmacology; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; 생물학; gamma radiation; radioprotective material; Poly-gamma-glutamate; DNA protection; DNA damage
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1712.12016

This study compared the radioprotective effects of high-molecular-weight poly-gamma-glutamate (γ-PGA, average molecular mass 3,000 kDa) and a reduced form of glutathione (GSH, a known radioprotector) on calf thymus DNA damage. The radiation-induced DNA damage was measured on the basis of the decreased fluorescence intensity after binding the DNA with ethidium bromide. All the experiments used ⁶⁰Co gamma radiation at 1,252 Gy, representing 50% DNA damage. When increasing the concentration of γ-PGA from 0.33 to 1.65 μM, the DNA protection from radiation-induced damage also increased, with a maximum of 87% protection. Meanwhile, the maximal DNA protection when increasing the concentration of GSH was only 70%. Therefore, γ-PGA exhibited significant radioprotective effects against gamma irradiation.