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Abstract

PURPOSE:

Radiation therapy is a treatment for patients with head and neck (HN) cancer. However, radiation exposure to the HN often induces salivary gland (SG) dysfunction. We investigated the effect of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on radiation-induced SG injury in rats.

RESULTS:

ALA preserved acinoductal integrity and acinar cell secretary function following irradiation. These results are related to the mechanisms by which ALA inhibits oxidative stress by inhibiting gp91 mRNA and 8-OHdG expression and apoptosis of acinar cells and ductal cells by inactivating MAPKs in the early period and expression of inflammation-related factors including NF-κB, IκB-α, and TGF-β1 and fibrosis in late irradiated SG. ALA effects began in the acute phase and persisted for at least 56 days after irradiation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Rats were assigned to followings: control, ALA only (100 mg/kg, i.p.), irradiated, and ALA administered 24 h and 30 min prior to irradiation. The neck area including the SG was evenly irradiated with 2 Gy per minute (total dose, 18 Gy) using a photon 6-MV linear accelerator. Rats were killed at 4, 7, 28, and 56 days after radiation.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results show that ALA could be used to ameliorate radiation-induced SG injury in patients with HN cancer. 

Author information​

Kim JH1,2, Kim KM3, Jung MH1, Jung JH2,4, Kang KM2,5, Jeong BK2,5, Kim JP2,3, Park JJ2,3, Woo SH2,3.

1Biomedical Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.

2Institute of Health Science, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.

3Department of Otolaryngology, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.

4Department of Internal Medicine, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.

5Department of Radiation Oncology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine and Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea.