Growth hormone protects against radiotherapy-induced cell death.
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BACKGROUND: In vivo treatment with growth hormone reduces radiation-associated mortality. The molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are unknown. It has been described that increased sensitivity to ionising radiation can be due to defects in machinery involved in detection and/or repair of DNA double-strand breaks. OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanisms involved in growth hormone action on the increased survival in irradiated cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CHO-4 cells stably expressing the growth hormone receptor were used. A cell viability assay was carried out to analyse the increase in survival induced by growth hormone in irradiated cells. To investigate whether the DNA repair mechanism could be implicated in this effect we performed DNA reactivation assays using pHIV-LUC and pCMV-betagal plasmids as control. Identical studies were also conducted using the radiomimetic drug, bleomycin. RESULTS: Growth hormone protects CHO-4 cells from bleomycin- and radiation-induced cell death. In pHIV-LUC transfected cells, a time-dependent decrease in luciferase activity was observed after irradiation in the absence of growth hormone. However, cells pretreated with this hormone maintained reporter activity. When cells were transfected with irradiated pHIV-LUC plasmid, only the hormone-treated cells recovered the transcriptional activity. CONCLUSIONS: Growth hormone exerts a radioprotective effect in CHO-4 cells stably transfected with the complementary DNA for the rat growth hormone receptor. The radioprotection is triggered directly by the hormone and it is also observed with bleomycin. The increased survival in response to radiation and bleomycin treatment induced by growth hormone correlates with an enhanced ability of the cells to repair damaged DNA. (+info)
Differential protection by nitroxides and hydroxylamines to radiation-induced and metal ion-catalyzed oxidative damage.
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Modulation of radiation- and metal ion-catalyzed oxidative-induced damage using plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, and cell survival, by three nitroxides and their corresponding hydroxylamines, were examined. The antioxidant property of each compound was independently determined by reacting supercoiled DNA with copper II/1,10-phenanthroline complex fueled by the products of hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase (HX/XO) and noting the protective effect as assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The nitroxides and their corresponding hydroxylamines protected approximately to the same degree (33-47% relaxed form) when compared to 76.7% relaxed form in the absence of protectors. Likewise, protection by both the nitroxide and corresponding hydroxylamine were observed for Chinese hamster V79 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, when plasmid DNA damage was induced by ionizing radiation (100 Gy), only nitroxides (10 mM) provide protection (32.4-38.5% relaxed form) when compared to radiation alone or in the presence of hydroxylamines (10 mM) (79.8% relaxed form). Nitroxide protection was concentration dependent. Radiation cell survival studies and DNA double-strand break (DBS) assessment (pulse field electrophoresis) showed that only the nitroxide protected or prevented damage, respectively. Collectively, the results show that nitroxides and hydroxylamines protect equally against the damage mediated by oxidants generated by the metal ion-catalyzed Haber-Weiss reaction, but only nitroxides protect against radiation damage, suggesting that nitroxides may more readily react with intermediate radical species produced by radiation than hydroxylamines. (+info)
Manganese superoxide dismutase gene therapy protects against irradiation-induced cystitis.
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Urinary bladder cystitis occurs in patients receiving radiation therapy for pelvic tumors. Radiation-induced formation of superoxide radicals is believed to damage the urothelium, exposing the underlying bladder smooth muscle to urine, culminating in nerve irritation and muscle dysfunction. We tested whether overexpression of MnSOD could decrease superoxide levels and protect the bladder from radiation damage. Pelvic irradiation led to sloughing of urothelial umbrella cells, with decreased transepithelial resistance, increased water and urea permeabilities, and increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Six months after irradiation, cystometrograms showed elevated intravesical pressures and prolonged voiding patterns. However, urothelia transfected with the MnSOD transgene recovered from radiation injury more rapidly, and detrusor function was much closer to that of control bladders than irradiated bladders without the transgene. We conclude that MnSOD gene therapy is protective, which could lead to its use in mitigating radiation cystitis and preventing dysfunction of the urinary bladder. (+info)
Short-term injection of antiapoptotic cytokine combinations soon after lethal gamma -irradiation promotes survival.
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Recovery from radiation-induced (RI) myelosuppression depends on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell survival and the active proliferation/differentiation process, which requires early cytokine support. Single cytokine or late-acting growth factor therapy has proved to be inefficient in ensuring reconstitution after severe RI damage. This work was aimed at evaluating the in vivo survival effect of combinations of early-acting cytokines whose antiapoptotic activity has been demonstrated in vitro: stem cell factor (SCF [S]), FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (FLT-3 ligand [F]), thrombopoietin (TPO [T]), interleukin-3 (IL-3 [3]), and stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1). B6D2F1 mice underwent total body irradiation at 8 Gy cesium Cs 137 gamma radiation (ie, lethal dose 90% at 30 days) and were treated soon after irradiation, at 2 hours and at 24 hours, with recombinant murine cytokines, each given intraperitoneally at 50 microg/kg per injection. All treatments induced 30-day survival rates significantly higher than control (survival rate, 8.3%). 4F (SFT3) and 5F (4F + SDF-1) were the most efficient combinations (81.2% and 87.5%, respectively), which was better than 3F (SFT, 50%), TPO alone (58.3%), and SDF-1 alone (29.2%) and also better than 4F given at 10 microg/kg per injection (4F10, 45.8%) or as a 50 microg/kg single injection at 2 hours (4Fs, 62.5%). Despite delayed death occurring mainly from day 150 on and possible long-term hematopoiesis impairment, half the 30-day protective effects of 4F and 5F were preserved at 300 days. Our results show that short- and long-term survival after irradiation depends on appropriate multiple cytokine combinations and at optimal concentrations. The proposal is made that an emergency cytokine regimen could be applied to nuclear accident victims as part of longer cytokine treatment, cell therapy, or both. (+info)
Effect of liposomal muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine and indomethacin on hematopoietic recovery in irradiated mice.
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The effects of liposomal muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE/MLV, radioprotective immunomodulator; 10 mg/kg) and indomethacin (INDO, inhibitor of prostaglandin production; 2 mg/kg) on post-irradiation recovery of hematopoietic functions in mice were investigated. Two agents with distinct radioprotective mechanisms were administered alone or in combination 24 h and 3 h before exposure to 7 Gy (60)Co radiation. In the post-irradiation period (3-14 days) combined pre-treatment of mice accelerated recovery of bone marrow cellularity, weight of spleen and myelopoietic and erythropoietic activity in both hematopoietic organs, compared to treatment with MTP-PE/MLV or indomethacin alone. In the peripheral blood, improved radioprotective effects of combined drug administration were found in the recovery of reticulocytes and platelet count. No further significant differences in the recovery of leukocyte count were observed in the examined groups until post-irradiation day 14. Within the first 3-6 post-irradiation days, the bone marrow and peripheral blood smears of mice pre-treated with indomethacin alone or its combination with MTP-PE/MLV more frequently featured blast cells and large cells with abundant cytoplasm which could be considered the hematopoietic stem cells. (+info)
Albumin activates the AKT signaling pathway and protects B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells from chlorambucil- and radiation-induced apoptosis.
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Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase/AKT pathway antagonizes apoptosis in diverse cellular systems. We previously showed that human plasma activated AKT and potently blocked the ability of chlorambucil or gamma radiation to induce apoptosis of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Here we report experiments that identify albumin as the major component of plasma that blocks CLL cell killing by chlorambucil or radiation. Intact plasma depleted of albumin by chromatography on Cibacron blue-Sepharose or plasma from a subject with analbuminemia failed either to activate AKT or to protect CLL cells from chlorambucil-induced apoptosis. Both functions were restored by re-addition of albumin. The protective action of albumin as well as AKT activation was compromised by the binding of lipids. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACScan) analysis demonstrated the uptake of fluoresceinated albumin by CLL cells. Accumulation of albumin in intracellular vesicles was also shown by confocal microscopy. Indirect inhibition of AKT activation by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 reversed the blockade of chlorambucil-induced killing by plasma albumin. The data suggest that activation of AKT consequent to binding of albumin by CLL cells blocks chlorambucil- and radiation-induced apoptosis. Strategies designed to block albumin-induced antiapoptotic signaling may, therefore, be of value in enhancing cytotoxic drug action on CLL cells. (+info)
A multicentre randomised double masked clinical trial of a new formulation of topical cysteamine for the treatment of corneal cystine crystals in cystinosis.
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AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new topical cysteamine formulation, stable at room temperature, for the treatment of corneal cystine crystals in cystinosis. METHODS: 20 study subjects were enrolled in the safety study and 16 in the efficacy study. Both studies were randomised and double blind. The primary outcome for the safety study was the occurrence of predefined serious adverse reactions over 6 months and for the efficacy study the reduction of corneal cystine crystal score (CCCS) by 1.00 or more units on photographs graded by a reading centre using a standardised protocol. RESULTS: No study subject developed any serious adverse reactions. In the efficacy study, 47% of eyes receiving the standard formulation experienced a reduction in the CCCS of >/=1.00 after 1 year, while 7% of eyes on the new formulation experienced such a decrease (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Although no serious adverse reactions were observed with either formulation, the new formulation was not as effective as the standard formulation. (+info)
Amifostine-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis during radiotherapy: a case report.
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Amifostine is a phosphorylated aminothiol prodrug that can selectively protect normal tissues against the toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In clinical use amifostine is well tolerated and may rarely cause allergic reactions. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are two closely related entities that present with severe acute mucocutaneous reactions most often triggered by drugs. There are only two case reports related to the use of amifostine during radiotherapy, one case with SJS and the other with SJS-TEN overlap. In this paper, a case with amifostine-induced TEN during radiotherapy is presented. (+info)