Treatment of radiation disease by Nocardia fraction: possible effect of inflammatory cytokines.

Nocardia delipidated cell mitogen (NDCM) derived from Nocardia opaca, given 2 h after whole-body gamma irradiation (2.5 Gy) to germ-free piglets in amounts of 1 mg/kg via a stomach tube, prevented the loss of B-cells in the spleen, intestinal mucosa, and mesenteric lymph nodes when recorded on day 8 after irradiation. NDCM and/or formolized Enterococcus faecalis strain (Ef) applied intraperitoneally also 2 h after irradiation increased the survival rate in mice irradiated with 8.3 Gy and 8.5 Gy doses. The number of nucleated bone marrow cells and the content of RNA in the spleen were significantly higher in rats given immunostimulators NDCM and Ef after irradiation with 5.0 Gy. The effect is presumed to be a consequence of stimulated production of inflammatory cytokines.