Influence of 226Ra on bone marrow stem cells in mice: effect of radium decorporation by a long-term treatment with Na-alginate on stem-cell damage

Three-month old male BALB/c mice were injected intraperitoneally with 226RaCl2 at dose levels of 4.5, 6.9, 9.0, and 13.5 μCi 226Ra/kg body wt. At the two highest doses, the number of multipotential bone marrow stem cells was severely depressed 8 weeks after the injection. By 30 weeks no depression was observed compared to controls. The number of peripheral red blood cells was never altered, while the number of white blood cells was slghtly depressed after 8 weeks of contamination. Mice fed every other week with standard pellets and on alternate weeks with a diet containing 6% Na-alginate (first given 12 days after the injection of 226RaCl2) showed a significant reduction of stem-cell depression 8 and 12 weeks after contamination in three of the six treatment groups with manifest radiation effects on the stem cells