1995 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 49-54
When 10-week-old male BALB/c mice received whole-body irradiation with a sublethal 4-Gy single dose of 60Co γ-ray, the occurrence of leucopenia caused by the irradiation was lessened to some extent by subcutaneous injection of 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2), one of catecholestrogens, given 3h before and 3h after the irradiation. Upon irradiation, the weight of the thymus was reduced, but the recovery of organ weight was markedly accelerated by subcutaneous injection of 2-OHE2. Light microscopic observation revealed that 2-OHE2 prevents the reduction by γ-ray irradiation of cortical and medullary volumes of the thymus. These results indicate that 2-OHE2 is a potent radioprotector.
