Sensitizing effect of Reverin (pyrrolidinomethyltetracycline) on the radiation damage of rat embryos as compared to its effect on other cell systems

Abstract

The effect of Reverin (pyrrolidino-methyl-tetracyeline) an inhibitor of protein synthesis on radiation damage (mainly in the head region) in 9-day-old rat embryos has been investigated and compared with its effects on other cell systems. An administration of 91.0 mg/kg body weight Reverin alone had a teratogenic effect. If Reverin was injected i.m. or i.p. 1 hour before irradiation the number of eye anomalies in 13-day-old fetuses was increased from 25.8 % (irradiation only) to 58.8 %.This enhanced effect was not due to an additive but to a synergistic mechanism. However Reverin failed to show synergistic effects on growth of Ehrlich carcinoma cells in ascites-and solid form as on chromosomal aberrations of normal chinese hamster cells, the death rate of irradiated chinese hamster cells was sensitized. It is proposed that tetracyclines act mainly on the immediate repair by blocking repair enzyme systems or by depression of energy metabolism. Differences in the reactions of other cell systems can be explained by a different biological relevance or vulnerability of repair systems.

Effects of Irradiation on the Developing Ophthalmic System in the Golden Hamster

“…The clinically recognizable lesions were cataracts, retinal degeneration, hyaloid remnants, optic disc hypoplasia and microphthalmia. The same results were re ported by Fritz-Niggli and Michel [1974] on rat embryos which were irradiated on day 9 in utero and which were examined postnatally. At last, the experiment of Cowen and Geller [1960] is interesting.…”

“…Congenital malformations produced by toxic agents were reported as oxygen defi ciency in rats by Werthemann and Reiniger [1950/51], as virus embryopathies in human embryos following infection of the mother in the early pregnancy, published by Tôndury [1962], as malformation caused by retinoic acid (vitamin A, acid) in hamsters by Shenefelt [1972], The observed damages were not strikingly different from those produced by irradiation as referred to by Hicks [1953Hicks [ , 1954Hicks [ , 1958 and Rugh [1963] in rats and mice; Chang and Harvey [1964] in the ham ster; Wilson [1954], Cowen and Geller [1960], Fritz-Niggli and Michel [1974] in rats.…”

Response of murine small intestine to combined treatment with fostriecin and X rays

“…Burholt et al (1975) observed that adriamycin combined with abdominal irradiation of mice did not alter the number of surviving crypts in the jejunum, but reduced the post-irradiation compensatory hyperplasia. Our own investigations on reverin (pyrrolidino-methyl-tetracycline) showed that the antibiotic increased the number of eye anomalies in 9-day-old rat embryos from 25.8% (irradiation only) to 55.8% (Fritz-Niggli et al, 1974). Thus many antibiotic agents have been tested for their ability to alter the radiation response of murine normal tissues.…”