Combined hydration and antibiotics with lisinopril to mitigate acute and delayed high-dose radiation injuries to multiple organs

Abstract

The NIAID Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program is developing medical agents to mitigate the acute and delayed effects of radiation that may occur from a radionuclear attack or accident. To date, most such medical countermeasures have been developed for single organ injuries. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been used to mitigate radiation-induced lung, skin, brain and renal injuries in rats. ACE inhibitors have also been reported to decrease normal tissue complication in radiation oncology patients. In the current study we have developed a rat partial-body irradiation (leg-out PBI) model with minimal bone marrow sparing (one leg shielded) that results in acute and late injuries to multiple organs. In this model, the ACE inhibitor lisinopril (at ∼24 mg m-2 day-1 started orally in the drinking water at 7 days after irradiation and continued to ≥150 days) mitigated late effects in the lungs and kidneys after 12.5 Gy leg-out PBI. Also in this model, a short course of saline hydration and antibiotics mitigated acute radiation syndrome following doses as high as 13 Gy. Combining this supportive care with the lisinopril regimen mitigated overall morbidity for up to 150 days after 13 Gy leg-out PBI. Furthermore lisinopril was an effective mitigator in the presence of the growth factor G-CSF (100 μg kg-1 day-1 from days 1-14) which is FDA-approved for use in a radionuclear event. In summary, by combining lisinopril (FDA-approved for other indications) with hydration and antibiotics, we mitigated acute and delayed radiation injuries in multiple organs.