Acteoside inhibits irradiation-mediated decreases in the viability and DNA synthesis of MC3T3-E1 cells

Therapeutic irradiation can cause bone loss, whereas antioxidant supplementation is considered to attenuate irradiation-mediated damages. This study examined whether or not acteoside inhibits irradiation-mediated changes in viability and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells. X-ray radiation at >4 Gy not only decreased cell viability and DNA synthesis in the cells, but also increased intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylated p66^Shc protein. Irradiation at 8Gy also decreased intracellular levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and induced G₁ phase arrest of cell cycle progression with the attendant increase of p21 induction. Pretreatment with acteoside inhibited the irradiation-mediated decreases in viability and DNA synthesis by restoring the radiation-mediated changes in the levels of ROS, GSH, p21, and p-p66^Shc to the untreated control levels. These inhibitory activities of acteoside were greater than that of a synthetic antioxidant compound or N-acetyl cysteine did. Collectively, acteoside treatment may prevent irradiation-induced oxidative damages to osteoblasts.