therapeutic mitigation of ionizing radiation mediated injury
in rodents
This study was undertaken to develop novel approaches for
therapeutic mitigation of Ionizing radiation mediated injury. We have
explored radioprotective potential of syngeneic T-lymphocytes,
allogeneic OT-I/II T-lymphocytes and xenogeneic Mesenchymal stem
cells (WJ-MSCs) isolated from human umbilical cord using in vivo
mouse Models (Swiss and C57BL/6). Since exposure to ionizing
radiation leads to acute radiation syndrome, effect of the cell based
radioprotector has been studied on hematopoietic and
gastrointestinal systems.
The non-availability of a clinically approved radioprotector for
therapeutic management of radiation toxicity can be partly attributed
to lack of complete understanding of all the signalling mechanisms,
cellular and molecular players and tissue level interactions.
Better understanding of effect of these protectors on haematopoietic
and gastrointestinal system would significantly augment likelihood of
their clinical feasibility. Hence, it was planned to investigate
molecular players regulating radioprotective efficacy of therapeutics
under consideration in the present study.
Findings from these studies have also identified radioprotective
potential of syngeneic T-lymphocytes, allogeneic OT-I/II T-
lymphocytes and xenogeneic WJ-MSCs. The syngeneic T-
lymphocytes offered significant protection against radiation induced
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, mortality at lethal and supra-lethal dose of radiation. Use of
syngeneic cells during emergency situation is difficult
considering the reduction in number of white blood cells on radiation
exposure. This limitation is overcome by use of allogeneic OT-I/II T-
lymphocytes. Results of the study revealed that allogeneic OT-I/II T-
lymphocytes offered significant therapeutic protection against
radiation mortality even at supra-lethal dose of radiation. However,
application of the syngeneic and allogeneic OT-I/II T-lymphocytes is
limited only up to 4h after radiation exposure.
Additionally, results from our findings demonstrated that xenogeneic
transplantation of WJ-MSCs protected mice from lethal dose of
ionizing radiation at 24h post irradiation.
These isolated cells fulfilled all the criteria set by International
Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT), required for cells to be called as
stem cells. These cells were plastic adherent,expressed CD105,
CD73, CD90 and differentiated into Osteogenic, Chondrogenic and
Adipogenic lineages. WJ-MSCs suppressed mitogen induced T-cell
proliferation in vitro which is an advantage for therapeutic
radioprotector. Transplanted WJ-MSCs sense radiation induced
injury and specifically home to radiosensitive organs like bone
marrow, spleen, jejunum.
This preferential homing of cells to acute responding tissues is key
step in WJMSCs mediated therapeutic radioprotection. Combination
of WJ-MSCs with antibiotic tetracycline enhanced therapeutic
efficacy of WJ-MSCs and increase therapeutic window of protection
up to 72h.
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