possible protective role of bone marrow transplantation against alternations induced by gamma radiations on fetal gastrointestinal tract of pregnant albino rats

ABSTRACT

It is well recognized that radiation can be carcinogenic for a wide variety of tumors, especially, in breast, thyroid, and bone marrow which appear to be radiosensitive. Bone marrow cells [BM] suppress immune cell responses and have beneficial effects in various inflammatory-related immune disorders. The present study is designed to evaluate the possible role of bone marrow to restore certain histopathological and histochemical changes in the fetal gastrointestinal tract of pregnant rats which exposed to gamma rays. The experimental animals were divided into five groups 1-Control pregnant rats. 2- Group of pregnant rats irradiated with gamma-rays on day 7 of gestation. 3- Group of pregnant rats irradiated with gamma-rays on day 14 of gestation. 4- Group of pregnant rats irradiated with gamma-rays on day 7 of gestation and treated with BM one hour post-exposure. 5-group of pregnant rats irradiated with gamma-rays on day 14 of gestation and treated with BM one hour post-exposure. All the previous groups were sacrificed on day 20 of gestation [1 day prior delivery]. Exposure of pregnant rats to gamma-rays on day 7 or day 14 of gestation showed many pathological and histochemical changes in the fetal gastrointestinal tract. These changes were more pronounced on day 14 of gestation. The changes include increased proliferation in the mucosal layer, increased signs of lymphocytic infiltration and pyknotic nuclei in addition to highly distorted circular muscle fibers. Also, altered collagen, total protein, polysaccharides contents were noted post-irradiation. Bone marrow transplantation post-irradiation improved the tissue architecture which restored it's normal histological and histochemical pictures. It can be concluded that bone marrow transplantation post-irradiation showed somewhat a considerable ability to overcome radiation injuries or damages from the histological and histochemical point of view on day 7 or 14 of gestation in the studied previous fetal tissues although the healing was incomplete on day 7 or 14 of gestation when compared with the control groups