Production and radioprotective effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2011-12, Vol.12 (12), p.8913-8923
• Main Authors: Xiong, Xiang-Hua, Zhao, Yan, Ge, Xin, Yuan, Shou-Jun, Wang, Jian-Hua, Zhi, Jing-Juan, Yang, Yan-Xin, Du, Bao-Hua, Guo, Wan-Jun, Wang, Shan-Shan, Yang, De-Xuan, Zhang, Wei-Cai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Radiation Syndrome - drug therapy; Administration, Oral; Animals; Bone marrow; Bone Marrow Cells - drug effects; Bone Marrow Cells - radiation effects; Chromatography; Dehydrogenases; Drug Therapy, Combination; Electronic mail systems; Estriol - administration & dosage; Estriol - analogs & derivatives; Estriol - pharmacology; Estriol - therapeutic use; Fermentation; Free radicals; Gamma Rays; Leukocytes - drug effects; Leukocytes - radiation effects; Methylophilaceae - chemistry; Methylophilaceae - metabolism; Mice; Organic chemicals; Oxidative stress; PQQ Cofactor - administration & dosage; PQQ Cofactor - pharmacology; PQQ Cofactor - therapeutic use; Quinestrol - analogs & derivatives; Radiation; Radiation-Protective Agents - administration & dosage; Radiation-Protective Agents - pharmacology; Radiation-Protective Agents - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms12128913

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) was produced by fermentation of the Methylovorus sp. MP688 strain and purified by ion-exchange chromatography, crystallization and recrystallization. The yield of PQQ reached approximately 125 mg/L and highly pure PQQ was obtained. To determine the optimum dose of PQQ for radioprotection, three doses (2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, 8 mg/kg) of PQQ were orally administrated to the experimental animals subjected to a lethal dose of 8.0 Gy in survival test. Survival of mice in the irradiation + PQQ (4 mg/kg) group was found to be significantly higher in comparison with the irradiation and irradiation + nilestriol (10 mg/kg) groups. The numbers of hematocytes and bone marrow cells were measured for 21 days after sublethal 4 Gy gamma-ray irradiation with per os of 4 mg/kg of PQQ. The recovery of white blood cells, reticulocytes and bone marrow cells in the irradiation + PQQ group was faster than that in the irradiation group. Furthermore, the recovery of bone marrow cell in the irradiation + PQQ group was superior to that in irradiation + nilestriol group. Our results clearly indicate favourable effects on survival under higher lethal radiation doses and the ability of pyrroloquinoline quinine to enhance haemopoietic recovery after sublethal radiation exposure.