Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Mechanism of Action of Aminothiol Radioprotectors

Abstract

How do aminothiols protect living cells from radiation ? One possibility is that they bind to and stabilize those parts of the DNA helix which are not covered by histones. This reduces both primary and secondary damage, and the DNA replication rate is decreased so that repair processes can act before alterations are replicated.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bacq, Z. M., Chemical Protection Against Ionizing Radiation (Thomas Press, Springfield, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Balabukha, V. S. (Ed.), Chemical Protection of the Body Against Ionising Radiation (Pergamon Press, New York, 1963).

  3. Thomson, J. F., Radiation Protection in Mammals (Reinhold Press, New York, 1962).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bacq, Z. M., and Herve, A., Bull. Acad. Roy. Med. Belg., 17, 13 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bekkum, D. W. van, and Neiuwerkerk, H. T. M., Intern. J. Rad. Biol., 7, 473 (1963).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Doherty, D. G., Burnett, W. T., and Shapira, R., Rad. Res., 7, 13 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Doherty, D. G., and Shapira, R., J. Org. Chem., 28, 1339 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Alexander, P., Bacq, Z. M., Cousens, S. F., Fox, M., Herve, A., and Lazar, J., Rad. Res., 2, 392 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Shapira, R., Doherty, D. G., and Burnett, W. T., Rad. Res., 7, 22 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Langendorff, H., Koch, R., and Hagen, U., Strahlentherapie, 95, 238 (1954).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Langendorff, H., and Koch, R., Strahlentherapie, 99, 567 (1956).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Bacq, Z. M., and Alexander, P., Fundamentals of Radiobiology, second ed. (Pergamon Press, New York, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Pershan, P. S., Shulman, R. G., Wyluda, B. J., and Eisinger, J., Physics, 1, 163 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pihl, A., and Eldjarn, L., Pharmacol. Rev., 10, 437 (1958).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Eldjarn, L., and Pihl, A., J. Biol. Chem., 225, 499 (1957).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Koch, R., Adv. in Radiobiology (edit. by de Hevesy, G. C., et al.) (Oliver and Boyd Press, London, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Szybalski, W., and Opara-Kubinska, Z., Rad. Res., 14, 508 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Opara-Kubinska, Z., Lorkiewitz, Z., and Szybalski, W., Biochem. Biophys Res. Commun., 4, 288 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Harrington, H., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 51, 59 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Zimmerman, F., Kroger, H., Hagen, U., and Keck, K., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 87, 160 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Collyns, B., Okada, S., Scholes, G., Weiss, J. J., and Wheeler, C. M., Rad. Res., 25, 526 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Harrington, H., and Lindner, L., Ninth Biophys. Congress, 42 (1965).

  23. Harrington, H., and Ricanati, M., Rad. Res., 19, 188 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lloyd, P. H., and Peacocke, A. R., Proc. Roy. Soc., B 164, 40 (1966).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Guild, W. R., Rad. Res., Suppl. 3, 257 (1963).

  26. Dean, C. J., Feldschreiber, P., and Lett, J. T., Nature, 209, 49 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Thomson, J. F., and Tortellotte, W. W., Amer. J. Roentgen., 69, 826 (1953).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Taylor, J. H., Haut, W. F., and Tung, J., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 48, 190 (1962).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gordon, D. E., Curnutte, B., and Lark, K. G., J. Mol. Biol., 13, 571 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Schwimmer, S., and Bonner, J., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 108, 67 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Sluyser, M., Thung, P. J., and Emmelot, P., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 108, 249 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Gurley, L. R., Irvin, J. L., and Holbrook, D. J., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 14, 527 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Weiss, J. J., and Wheeler, C. M., Nature, 203, 291 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Mahler, R. H., and Mehrotra, B. D., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 68, 211 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Mahler, R. H., and Mehrotra, B. D., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 55, 252 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Jellum, E., Intern. J. Rad. Biol., 9, 185 (1965).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Kollman, G., Shapiro, B., and Schwartz, E. E., Cancer Res., 24, 120 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Shapiro, B., Schwartz, E. E., and Kollman, G., Cancer Res., 23, 233 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Sorbo, B., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 98, 342 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Revesz, L., and Bergstrand, H., Nature, 200, 594 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Eldjarn, L., and Bremer, J., Acta Chem. Scand., Suppl. 1, 17, 59 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Jellum, E., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 114, 200 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Rosenberg, B. H., and Cavalieri, L. F., Nature, 206, 999 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Jellum, E., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 115, 95 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BROWN, P. Mechanism of Action of Aminothiol Radioprotectors. Nature 213, 363–364 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/213363a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/213363a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing