Neuronal Apoptosis After Radiation-Induced Brain Injury

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of gamma radiation on neuronal apoptosis  in mice. In this study, 20 Balb/c mice were exposed to 6 Grays of gamma radiation, and tissues were collected at various interval for analysis. Histopathological examination showed significant necrosis, extensive apoptosis and cortical edema in tissues of brain. TUNEL assay recognized widespread fragmentation of DNA confirming apoptotic activity. Active apoptosis across all sample by Caspase 3 immunohistochemistry showed involvement of caspase 3 in the apoptotic pathway. These results suggested that gamma radiation induces severe neuronal damage through apoptosis, characterized by chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation and increased apoptotic cells. It is recommended for future studies to include human post-mortem tissues and employ advanced tool like electron microscopy and Annexin V expression for enhanced apoptosis detection. This study contributes to understanding the mechanism of radiation-induced neuronal apoptosis for developing targeted therapies to mitigate the radiation’s detrimental effects on the brain