Title:Targeting Estrogen Signaling in the Radiation-induced Neurodegeneration:
A Possible Role of Phytoestrogens
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Author(s): Sarmistha Mitra, Raju Dash, Md. Sohel, Apusi Chowdhury, Yeasmin Akter Munni, Md. Chayan Ali, Md. Abdul Hannan, Md. Tofazzal Islam and Il Soo Moon*
Affiliation:
- Department of Anatomy, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju 38066, Republic of Korea
Keywords:
Radiation, brain, neurodegeneration, estrogen, phytoestrogen, radiation therapy.
Abstract: Radiation for medical use is a well-established therapeutic method with an excellent
prognosis rate for various cancer treatments. Unfortunately, a high dose of radiation therapy comes
with its own share of side effects, causing radiation-induced non-specific cellular toxicity; consequently,
a large percentage of treated patients suffer from chronic effects during the treatment and
even after the post-treatment. Accumulating data evidenced that radiation exposure to the brain can
alter the diverse cognitive-related signaling and cause progressive neurodegeneration in patients because
of elevated oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and loss of neurogenesis. Epidemiological
studies suggested the beneficial effect of hormonal therapy using estrogen in slowing down the progression
of various neuropathologies. Despite its primary function as a sex hormone, estrogen is also
renowned for its neuroprotective activity and could manage radiation-induced side effects as it
regulates many hallmarks of neurodegenerations. Thus, treatment with estrogen and estrogen-like
molecules or modulators, including phytoestrogens, might be a potential approach capable of neuroprotection
in radiation-induced brain degeneration. This review summarized the molecular mechanisms
of radiation effects and estrogen signaling in the manifestation of neurodegeneration and
highlighted the current evidence on the phytoestrogen mediated protective effect against radiationinduced
brain injury. This existing knowledge points towards a new area to expand to identify the
possible alternative therapy that can be taken with radiation therapy as adjuvants to improve patients'
quality of life with compromised cognitive function.
