Accession Number:

AD0257295

Title:

RADIOPROTECTIVE AGENTS. ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL ANTIRADIATION EFFECT OF NUCLEIC ACIDS OR THEIR PRECURSORS

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE BROOKS AFB TEX

Personal Author(s):

• ROUNDS,DONALD E.

Report Date:

1961-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

1.0

Abstract:

A total of nine compounds, including nucleic acids, purines, pyrimidines, and one nucleoside, were tested in vitro for activity as radioprotective agents. One agent which proved to be effective was yeast ribonucleic acid RNA. Four others, which showed moderate potential, were calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid DNA, yeast DNA, orotic acid, and adenine. Guanine, xanthine, uracil, and deoxyadenosine had no protective effect in the test system. Yeast RNA was found to be relatively nontoxic to amnion cells over a 24-hr treatment period, but a chronic exposure of the cells to 0.5 mg.ml. for 6 days caused a decrease in the growth rate to about 52 of control cultures. Preirradiation treatment of seven different cell strains with 0.1 mg.ml. yeast RNA resulted in a widely variable protective response. Treated populations of nonmalignant origin showed more cells surviving 700 r gamma radiation than did untreated, irradiated control cultures. Malignant cellsincluding KB, HeLa, and Detroit 6 strain of bone marrow-showed no protective response. Author

Descriptors:

• *MEDICINE
• *NUCLEIC ACIDS
• *PURINES
• *PYRIMIDINES
• *RADIATION EFFECTS
• *RADIATION INJURIES
• ADENINE
• CONTROL
• COUNTERMEASURES
• DRUGS
• GAMMA RAYS
• NUCLEOSIDES
• RADIOPROTECTIVE AGENTS

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE