Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2025
Intestinal Epithelial Regeneration in Response to Ionizing Irradiation
Published on: July 27, 2022
Bixin alleviates radiation-induced intestinal damage via inflammation regulation and barrier recovery
Han Byul Kim1, Hyewon Kim1, Su-Hyun Oh1
1Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Science, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
Radiotherapy for cancer treatment or unintentional exposure to ionizing radiation causes severe damage to the unaffected tissues of the digestive system, including gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Radiation exposure leads to an inflammatory response, and uncontrolled inflammation exacerbates radiation-induced tissue injury. Bixin is a liposoluble apocarotenoid isolated from Bixa orrellana seeds, which effectively attenuates several inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated whether bixin mitigated radiation-induced intestinal damage through an examination of its role in inflammation and the protection of the epithelial barrier.
Materials And Methods:
To determine the therapeutic effects of bixin in treating radiation-induced intestinal damage, we carried out histological analyses, inflammatory response examinations, and barrier function assessments using a mouse model of radiation-induced enteropathy.
Results:
We uncovered that bixin effectively mitigates radiation-induced enteropathy by suppressing the inflammatory response, reducing inflammatory cell accumulation, and limiting cytokine expression in the radiation-induced intestinal injury. In a mouse model of acute radiation-induced intestinal injury, treatment with bixin enhanced nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activation and promoted tight junction expression in the epithelium, while also hindering bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes.
Conclusion:
Bixin represents a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of radiation-induced enteropathy.
