Vitamin A and polyunsaturated fatty acids promote caenorhabditis elegans 60Co radiation resistance associated with expression of cyclogeny genes

Radiation-induced damage is currently under intensive research. Increasing evidence shows that radiation-induced injury could be resisted by vitamin A (V-A) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), however, the mechanisms are yet unknown. This present study explored the effect of V-A and PUFA on radiation damage and the potential mechanisms using the model organism-Caenorhabditis elegans. These two radiation protectants were assessed via analysis of survival rate as well as evaluation of cyclogeny-associated genes by qRT-PCR post-radiation. V-A and PUFA did not exert any specific toxic effects on C. elegans in the preliminary experiment. The survival rate and fecundity of C. elegans decreased after radiation, both of which improved significantly with V-A and PUFA treatment. The morphology of the eggs was altered remarkably by radiation, which could be prevented by V-A and PUFA. Division patterns of the seam cells, cuticle, and molt formation-related genes, bro-1, cki-1, ceh-16, dpy-2, dpy-8 and grl-5 were significantly expressed as compared to the V-A and PUFA groups with CK group, post-radiation, respectively. Thus, it can be speculated that radiation caused seam cell hyperplasia, reduced formation of the cuticle, and limited the growth of molt. V-A and PUFA have a protective effect on the division pattern under 200 Gy and arrest the cell cycle checkpoint under 400 Gy. PUFA, not V-A, exhibited radiation resistance by regulating the molt and formation of the cuticle, especially under higher radiation treatment. Moreover, PUFA primarily regulated the seam cell division pattern to resist radiation injury under 200 Gy while controlling the rate of cell division under 400 Gy.