title: Human umbilical-cord-blood mononucleated cells enhance the survival of lethally irradiated mice: dosage and the window of time.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the window of time and dose of human umbilical-cord-blood (HUCB) mononucleated cells necessary for successful treatment of radiation injury in mice. Female A/J mice (27-30 weeks old) were exposed to an absorbed dose of 9-10 Gy of (137)Cs γ-rays delivered acutely to the whole body. They were treated either with 1 × 10(8) or 2 × 10(8) HUCB mononucleated cells at 24-52 h after the irradiation. The antibiotic Levaquin was applied 4 h postirradiation. The increased dose of cord-blood cells resulted in enhanced survival. The enhancement of survival in animals that received 2 × 10(8) HUCB mononucleated cells relative to irradiated but untreated animals was highly significant (P < 0.01). Compared with earlier studies, the increased dose of HUCB mononucleated cells, coupled with early use of an antibiotic, extended the window of time for effective treatment of severe radiation injury from 4 to 24-52 h after exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Olga A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Kovalenko
authors.forename: Edouard I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Azzam
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ende
mesh_terms: D054508:Acute Radiation Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000637:transplantation*; D051379:Mice; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: acute lethal total-body irradiation; antibiotics; human umbilical-cord blood; radiation mass casualties