ABSTRACT
There is still a need for better protection against or mitigation of the effects of ionizing radiation following conventional radiotherapy or accidental exposure. The objective of our current study was to investigate the possible roles of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, ilomastat, in the protection of mice from total body radiation (TBI), and the underlying protective mechanisms. Ilomastat treatment increased the survival of mice after TBI. Ilomastat pretreatment promoted recovery of hematological and immunological cells in mice after 6 Gy γ-ray TBI. Our findings suggest the potential of ilomastat to protect against or mitigate the effects of radiation.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Acute Radiation Syndrome , Blood , Allergy and Immunology , Blood Cells , Radiation Effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Gamma Rays , Hydroxamic Acids , Therapeutic Uses , Indoles , Therapeutic Uses , Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors , Therapeutic Uses , Radiation Injuries, Experimental , Blood , Allergy and Immunology , Radiation-Protective Agents , Therapeutic Uses , Spleen , Allergy and Immunology , Radiation Effects , Survival Analysis , Whole-Body IrradiationABSTRACT
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle for drug delivery into the central nervous system (CNS). However, there is no ideal model animal for the study of BBB permeability till now. Currently zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a powerful model organism for the study of vertebrate biology. In this study, the feasibility of using zebrafish as model animal was investigated for BBB permeability by comparing the results of administration of BBB-penetrating peptide and protein to mouse and zebrafish. The results showed that the BBBs of mouse and zebrafish were similar in molecular permeability. Additionally, zebrafish has advantageous features as a model animal, such as small size, fertile and easy to breed. Therefore, it is suggested that zebrafish may be a favored model for the study of BBB permeability.