Chlorisondamine, a sympathetic ganglionic blocker, moderates the effects of whole-body irradiation (WBI) on early host defense to a live bacterial challenge.

There is a growing consensus that long-term deficits in the brain are due to dynamic interactions between multiple neural and immune cell types. Specifically, radiation induces an inflammatory response, including changes in neuromodulatory pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion. The purpose of this study was to establish that there is sympathetic involvement in radiation-induced decrements early in in vivo immune function host defense.

Low-dose photons modify liver response to simulated solar particle event protons.

The health consequences of exposure to low-dose radiation combined with a solar particle event during space travel remain unresolved. The goal of this study was to determine whether protracted radiation exposure alters gene expression and oxidative burst capacity in the liver, an organ vital in many biological processes. C57BL/6 mice were whole-body irradiated with 2 Gy simulated solar particle event (SPE) protons over 36 h, both with and without pre-exposure to low-dose/low-dose-rate photons ((57)Co, 0.

Radiation enhances the anti-tumor effects of vaccinia-p53 gene therapy in glioma.

The overall goal of this study was to analyze the effect and mechanism of radiation in combination with vaccinia viruses (VV) carrying the p53 gene against glioma. Comparison of two alternative treatments of cultured C6 (p53(+)) and 9L (p53(-)) rat glioma cells showed significantly reduced survival for both cell lines, especially 9L, when radiation was applied prior to virus versus radiation alone. High p53 protein expression mediated by VV-TK-p53 was measured in infected cells.

Evaluation of TNF-alpha/Bax gene therapy and radiation against C6 glioma xenografts.

Successful therapy of high-grade tumors of the brain is likely to require a combination of new therapeutic approaches. The major goal of the present study was to construct a plasmid-based bax gene vector (pGL1-Bax) and evaluate its expression in vitro and in vivo using athymic mice with subcutaneously growing C6 glioma. Preliminary experiments of efficacy and safety were also performed using pGL1-Bax alone and in combination with previously constructed pGL1-TNF-alpha, as well as with radiation.