A SINGLE-DOSE OF GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR MODIFIES RADIATION-INDUCED DEATH IN B6D2F1 MICE

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) stimulates the prolifera tion of progenitor cells commited to myeloid differentiation. In anima l models, G-CSF is able to stimulate granulocyte recovery and promote survival after lethal or sublethal irradiation when administered as da ily injections, suggesting an influence on the residual hematopoietic primitive precursors surviving irradiation. In this study, we clearly demonstrate that a single dose of G-CSF (1 mg/kg) administered to B6D2 F1 mice 2 hours after a lethal dose(95/30) irradiation achieves a 78% survival at day +30 after irradiation. Survival of G-CSF treated mice compares favourably with that of syngenic bone marrow transplantation recipients (78% vs 90%, ns).