Melatonin prevents possible radiotherapy-induced thyroid injury

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Science
• Radiology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Radiotherapy is crucial for cancer treatment but can cause collateral damage to healthy tissues, including the thyroid gland.
• Thyroid gland injury from radiation can lead to hypothyroidism and other endocrine dysfunctions.
• Identifying protective agents against radiotherapy-induced thyroid damage is essential for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the protective efficacy of melatonin against radiation-induced thyroid gland injury in an experimental rat model.
• To investigate the impact of melatonin on key inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in the context of radiotherapy.
• To assess the effects of melatonin on thyroid tissue integrity and cellular apoptosis post-radiotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two rats were allocated into four groups: control, melatonin only, radiotherapy only, and melatonin plus radiotherapy.
• Rats received 18 Gray (Gy) of 6-MV photon radiation to the neck region.
• Melatonin was administered intraperitoneally at 50 mg/kg, 15 minutes before radiation exposure.

Main Results:

• Radiotherapy significantly increased inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β), oxidative stress markers (TBARS, NO), inflammatory cell infiltration, and apoptosis in thyroid tissue.
• Melatonin treatment concurrently with radiotherapy significantly reduced these elevated markers compared to radiotherapy alone (p < .05).
• Melatonin treatment also increased protective markers like IL-10 and glutathione (GSH) in the thyroid tissue (p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Melatonin demonstrates a significant protective effect against radiotherapy-induced thyroid gland injury in rats.
• Melatonin mitigates radiation-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in the thyroid.
• The findings suggest melatonin as a potential adjunct therapy to reduce radiotherapy side effects on the thyroid gland.