The beneficial effects of postirradiation treatment with cobaltous chloride on the development of nuclear damage in thymocytes, erythropoiesis, and the survival of mice

Cobaltous chloride injected subcutaneously into mice immediately after irradiation decreases the number of cells with pyknotic nuclei appearing in the lymphocyte population of the thymus. In vitro studies show that the presence of cobaltous chloride in the incubating medium immediately after irradiation again lowers the subsequent appearance of cells with pyknotic nuclei. A subcutaneous injection of cobaltous chloride into mice immediately after irradiation also increases both erythropoietic recovery (as measured by the incorporation of 59Fe into blood and spleen) and survival.

Erythrocytes of uranium miners: the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway

Vích, Z., Novosad, F., and Brychtová, V. (1970).Brit. J. industr. Med.,27, 287-290. Erythrocytes of uranium miners: the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway. The functioning of erythrocytes was studied by determination of the activity of the pentose phosphate pathway in 431 individuals - 221 uranium miners, 42 employees of a uranium ore trimming station (30 of whom were exposed), 36 former uranium miners, 32 coal miners, and 100 persons not working in mines and with no previous exposure. In the groups exposed to long-term occupational radiation, the activity of the pentose phosphate cycle was found to be enhanced. This finding was interpreted as evidence for a change in the functional state of the erythrocytes in exposed persons due to the effects of radiation on the genesis of red cells in the bone marrow.

A comparative study of the effects of anti-tumour and immunosuppressive drugs on antibody-forming and erythropoietic cells

Immunosuppressive and erythroid cell line depressing activities of various agents used in cancer chemotherapy were investigated simultaneously in the same mice and compared to X-Rays. Vincristine, vinblastine, mitomycin C and actinomycin D had greater effects on erythropoiesis than on antibody-forming cells. By contrast, the immunosuppressive effects of cyclophosphamide, demecolcine and methotrexate exceeded markedly their erythropoietic toxicity. The Vinca alkaloids stimulated the secondary immune response, whereas X-Rays, antilymphocytic serum and the methylhydrazine derivatives inhibited the anamnestic response to a greater extent than the primary immune response.

Radiation nephritis

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