ABSTRACT
Ionizing radiation can cause damage to biological macromolecules such as DNA and protein, resulting in a series of biological changes such as carcinogenesis, apoptosis and aging. However, after radiation injury, the lack of effective prevention and treatment targets leads to the limited variety of available therapeutic drugs. Recent studies suggest that mitochondria play an important role in radiation injury and are expected to become a new prevention and treatment target. This paper reviewed the effects of ionizing radiation on mitochondria, especially the occurrence of oxidative stress, and the role of mitochondria in radiation-induced biological effects, in order to discuss the feasibility of mitochondria as a potential target for radiation damage prevention and treatment.