Interleukin 1 is a radioprotector.
Pretreatment with recombinant interleukin 1 (IL 1) protects mice in a dose-dependent manner from lethal effects of ionizing radiation. Two thousand units of IL 1, given i.p. 20 hr before irradiation, protect 88% of C57B1/6 mice from an LD100/17 radiation dose (dose of radiation that kills 100% mice in 17 days), and 1000 U of IL 1 protect 100% of DBA/1 mice from an LD50/30 dose. This finding provides the first evidence that a cytokine, IL 1, which acts as a differentiation- and maturation-inducing agent for a variety of cells, also can serve as a signal that initiates radioprotective events in vivo. Because many of the exogenous immunomodulators that have been shown to be radioprotective also induce endogenous IL 1 production, our observation suggests that IL 1 may mediate their radioprotective effects.
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D013045:Species Specificity; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000401:mortality*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007375:Interleukin-1