Typical levels of aluminum (equal to those found in child vaccines) were shown to increase DNA damage in albino rats. 50 albino rats were divided into 5 groups with 10 rats in each group. Rats in Group 1 were injected with a "high" dose of aluminum, while rats in Group 2 received a "low" dose of aluminum. Group 3 received a high dose of aluminum plus curcumin (to determine if it could protect from aluminum damage). Group 4 received a low dose of aluminum plus curcumin as well. Group 5 was the control group receiving only a saline injection. Rats receiving either high or low doses of aluminum (Groups 1 & 2) exhibited "severe DNA fragmentation." Interestingly, rats that also received curcumin showed far less DNA damage, thereby suggesting curcumin provides a protective effect.
ABSTRACT
For nearly 90 years, aluminum (Al) salts have been utilized as vaccination adjuvants. Nevertheless, there is a risk of adverse effects associated with the amount of nanoaluminum used in various national pediatric immunization regimens. This study aimed to investigate the possible genotoxic effects of nanoaluminum incorporated in human vaccines on the brains of newborn albino rats and whether nanocurcumin has a potential protective effect against this toxicity. Fifty newborn albino rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups, with 10 in each group. Groups 1 and 2 received "high" and "low" Al injections corresponding to either the American or Scandinavian pediatric immunization schedules, respectively, as opposed to the control rats (group 5) that received saline injections. Groups 3 and 4 received the same regimens as groups 1 and 2 in addition to oral nanocurcumin. The expression of both the cell breakdown gene tumor protein (P53) and the cell stress gene uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) was significantly greater in groups 1 and 2 than in group 5. Groups 1 and 2 exhibited severe DNA fragmentation, which was observed as DNA laddering. Nanocurcumin significantly reduced the expression of the P53 and UCP2 genes in groups 3 and 4, with very low or undetectable DNA laddering in both groups. Vaccination with nanoaluminum adjuvants can cause genotoxic effects, which can be mediated by the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and nanocurcumin can protect against these toxic effects through the modulation of oxidative stress regulators and gene expression.