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Studies from Hofstra University School of Medicine Further Understanding of Life Science Research

2012 OCT 30 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Life Science Weekly -- Investigators publish new report on Life Science Research. According to news originating from Manhasset, New York, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "The gastrointestinal (GI) syndrome component of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) results from depletion of immature parenchymal stem cells after high dose irradiation and contributes significantly to early mortality. It is associated with severe, irreparable damage in the GI tract and extremely low survival."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Hofstra University School of Medicine, "There is a need for the development of viable mitigators of whole body irradiation (WBI) due to the possibility of unexpected high level radiation exposure from nuclear accidents or attacks. We therefore examined the effect of recombinant human milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (rhMFG-E8) in mitigating damage after WBI. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 10 Gy WBI using Cesium-137 as the radiation source. The animals in the treatment group received rhMFG-E8 (166 g/kg BW) subcutaneously once a day with the first dose given 6 h after WBI. Blood and tissue samples from the ileum were collected after 3 days of treatment. A separate cohort of animals was treated for 7 days and the 21 day mortality rate was determined. Treatment with rhMFG-E8 significantly improved the survival from 31% to 75% over 21 days. Furthermore, rhMFG-E8 treatment resulted in a 36% reduction in the radiation injury intestinal mucosal damage score, corresponding to visible histological changes. MFG-E8 gene expression was significantly decreased in WBI-induced animals as compared to sham controls. Treatment with rhMFG-E8 increased p53 and p21 expression by 207% and 84% compared to untreated controls. This was accompanied by an 80% increase in the expression of anti-apoptotic cell regulator Bcl-2. p53 and p21 levels correlate with improved survival after radiation injury. These cell regulators arrest the cell after DNA damage and enable DNA repair as well as optimize cell survival."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Taken together, these results indicate that rhMFG-E8 ameliorates the GI syndrome and improves survival after WBI by minimizing intestinal cell damage and optimizing recovery."

For more information on this research see: Recombinant Human MFG-E8 Attenuates Intestinal Injury and Mortality in Severe Whole Body Irradiation in Rats. Plos One, 2012;7(10):e46540. (Public Library of Science - www.plos.org; Plos One - www.plosone.org)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from M.A. Ajakaiye, Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and Dept. of Surgery, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Manhasset, New York, United States.

Keywords for this news article include: New York, Manhasset, Radiotherapy, United States, Life Science Research, Whole Body Irradiation, North and Central America.

Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2012, NewsRx LLC