Effect of X-Ray Exposure on Oxidative Stress in Liver and Kidney in Rats in Early Life: an Experimental Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of oxidative stress and antioxidants in the liver and kidney tissue of baby rats exposed to whole-body x-ray by creating a newborn rat model. In this study, 60 baby rats obtained from 15 pregnant rats were used. Pregnant rats were randomly divided into five groups. The control group (Group I) was not subjected to X-ray. The 2(nd) and 3(rd) groups were subjected to both intrauterine and postnatal X-ray, and the 4(th) and 5(th) groups were subjected to only postnatal X-ray. At the end of the 4-week study period, oxidative stress markers were studied in the liver and kidney tissue. In all groups that received X-ray, an increase in the amounts of malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), a decrease in the amount of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activity were detected in liver tissues (P<0.05), and an increase in the activities of MDA, AOPP and CAT, and a decrease in the amount of GSH were detected in kidney tissues (P<0.05). These findings indicate that X-ray exposure in early life disrupts the antioxidant defense system by inducing oxidative stress in liver and kidney tissues, highlighting the necessity of minimizing unnecessary radiation exposure in clinical practice.