title: Analysis of minocycline as a countermeasure against acute radiation syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of an antibiotic, minocycline, on several immune parameters in response to radiation in a mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were treated with minocycline (i.p.) for 5 days, beginning immediately before radiation with 1-3 Gy (60)Co γ-rays. Spleen and blood were collected on day 4 post-irradiation. Cell populations were determined in the blood and spleen. Splenocytes were activated with anti-CD3 antibody for 48 h and cytokines were quantified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Minocycline increased the counts and/or percentages of splenic macrophages, granulocytes, natural killer, T- and CD8(+) T-cells (p<0.05 versus radiation alone). Minocycline significantly increased the expression of interleukin-1α and β, which are radioprotective, as well as the ones of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, which accelerate neutrophil recovery (p<0.05 versus radiation alone), while suppressing cytokines that could prevent hematopoiesis, e.g. macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that minocycline should be further tested for use in restoration of the hematopoietic system after radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University and Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrotra
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pecaut
authors.forename: Daila S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Gridley
mesh_terms: D054508:Acute Radiation Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D008911:Minocycline