Administration of Nitro-oleic Acid Mitigates Radiation-induced Hematopoietic Injury in Mice

Aims: Limited number of agents that provide protection against hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome led us to the evaluation of nitro-oleic acid (NOOA) as a potential protector/mitigator against radiation-induced hematopoietic injury in C57/BL6 mice.

Materials And Methods: NOOA was administered before and after sub-lethal total body irradiation (TBI) and hematological parameters were evaluated 3 or 7 days after TBI.

Key Findings: Our results show that NOOA significantly increase bone marrow cellularity including the granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells and erythroid progenitors on the 3rd day after TBI. In addition, NOOA enhanced recovery of white blood cells (lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes) in peripheral blood 7 days after irradiation. These effects may be in part attributed to NOOA-induced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor production after TBI. On the other hand, radiation-induced impairment of peripheral red blood cells, hemoglobin, and platelets were not affected with NOOA treatment up to 7 days post TBI.

Significance: In conclusion, our data show that NOOA significantly protects hematopoiesis after irradiation, and thus showed a high potential to act as an agent for medical radiation countermeasure.