Prophylactic strategies to minimize the effect of whole body irradiation on hematopoietic, gastrointestinal and respiratory system leading to morbidity/mortality in animals

Abstract

Increase in radionuclide application has gone far and wide in the last many decades; though its usage has benefited the society at large, however occasional unplanned exposure to radiation (terrorist/accidental) has also troubled human life. Exposure of humankind to nuclear disaster, accidental and natural background radiation exposure, has created the need to develop complete understanding of the subject and preparedness for having safe countermeasures. In whole-body radiation exposure scenario, all the three organs are responsible for leading the animal to its death; however, hematopoietic (HP) organ is the first to collapse followed by gastrointestinal (GI) and respiratory systems. Radiation-induced basic damage in these organs follows more or less similar pattern. Derangement starts with radiation-induced reactive oxygen species causing damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins and disturbing their regulatory pathways. However, damage in HP and GI is more rapid and severe due to the presence of highly radiosensitive multipotent stem cells essential to meet the need of high cell turnover rate in these organs. To overcome radiation-induced damage to these vital organs, serious efforts are continued globally to find safe remedial measure.