Resveratrol ameliorates ionizing irradiation-induced long-term immunosuppression in mice

Purpose: Ionizing radiation has been associated with adverse effects on the immune system. Currently, there are no effective treatment options to ameliorate these effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of resveratrol against radiation-induced long-term immunosuppression in mice.

Materials and methods: Mice were exposed to total body irradiation and treated with resveratrol or vehicle. Several immune parameters were measured, including thymus and spleen weights, T-lymphocyte and B-lymphocyte count in peripheral blood, concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide induced lymphocyte proliferation. To explore the mechanism, we investigated intracellular ROS level of lymphocytes and mice plasma cytokine levels.

Results: Treatment with resveratrol ameliorated TBI-induced atrophy of the thymus and spleen, reduction of lymphocyte count and decline of lymphocyte proliferation. TBI exhibited significantly reduced level of IL-2, IL-4, IL-7 and IFN-γ compared with the control mice and treatment with resveratrol attenuated the reduction.

Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that treatment with resveratrol could ameliorate irradiation induced long-term immune malfunction at least partly via modulation of plasma cytokine.