Response of peripheral leucocytes to whole body irradiation and MPG treatment

Radiation induced peripheral blood leucocyte changes in adult Swiss albino mice of either sex were studied after whole body exposure to two different doses of gamma radiation (250 and 500 R) at the dose of 50 R/minute, with or without a prior injection of the radioprotective drug 2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG). The pattern of total leucocyte, lymphocyte and neutrophil changes was similar in both the sexes, but the female mice were more radiosensitive haematologically. Recovery in leucocyte counts was observed in both sexes after 3 days in the 250 R group and after 7 days in the 500 R group. Both male and female mice showed similar response to MPG treatment and at 14 days the leucocyte counts in the experimental animals in both the exposure groups were significantly higher than in the controls. A significant recovery in both the lymphocyte and granulocytes was obvious in the MPG treated animal by the first week post-irradiation. (author)