title: Amifostine modulation of bleomycin-induced lung injury in rodents.
abstract: Bleomycin is an effective anticancer agent whose treatment is limited by severe and potentially fatal pulmonary toxicity. This toxicity, characterized by alveolar inflammation and proliferative fibrosis, is mediated by active oxygen species and may result in disruption of the balance between type 2 pneumocyte apoptosis and fibroblast proliferation. The chemoprotectant activity of amifostine (Ethyol; Alza Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA/US Bioscience, West Conshohocken, PA) is attributed, in part, to the scavenging of active oxygen species. Therefore, it was of interest to study the effects of amifostine on ameliorating the pulmonary toxicities associated with bleomycin in animals. Studies in hamsters and mice demonstrate that pretreatment with amifostine reduces the pulmonary toxicity induced by bleomycin administration. The results of these preclinical studies suggest that amifostine may be clinically beneficial in reducing the severe pulmonary toxicity associated with bleomycin.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, The Rhode Island Hospital, Providence 02903, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nici
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calabresi
mesh_terms: D004999:Amifostine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006224:Cricetinae; D019610:Cytoprotection; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008624:Mercaptoethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008624:Mercaptoethylamines; D011355:Prodrugs; D020011:Protective Agents; C020174:N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane; D001761:Bleomycin; D004999:Amifostine