Saving the Many
Just when our enemies are looking to attack us from every angle, some hope is offered up. The nuclear option is the prize for those who seek our destruction. American innovation steps in and gives us a saving grace.
Scientists in Cleveland have created an injectable that stops radiation sickness.
Injection protects against dirty bomb
New medication a game-changer: 'We made a breakthrough that may save the lives of millions'
A groundbreaking advance in medicine announced this week promises to dramatically reduce the number of people who would be killed in a nuclear war due to radiation poisoning with simple injections administered within three days of exposure.
Funded by the Pentagon, Professor Andrei Gudkov, chief scientific officer at Cleveland BioLabs, developed the preventative drug – it's not a vaccine – based on research he began in 2003 using protein produced in bacteria found in the intestine to protect cells from radiation, reported Israel's YnetNews.
Cells exposed to large doses of radiation die, scientists have found, when the cell's "suicide mechanism" is activated. The new medication based on intestinal bacteria works by suppressing the mechanism that causes cells to die and allows them to recover.
Read the rest of this saving injection
Scientists in Cleveland have created an injectable that stops radiation sickness.
Injection protects against dirty bomb
New medication a game-changer: 'We made a breakthrough that may save the lives of millions'
A groundbreaking advance in medicine announced this week promises to dramatically reduce the number of people who would be killed in a nuclear war due to radiation poisoning with simple injections administered within three days of exposure.
Funded by the Pentagon, Professor Andrei Gudkov, chief scientific officer at Cleveland BioLabs, developed the preventative drug – it's not a vaccine – based on research he began in 2003 using protein produced in bacteria found in the intestine to protect cells from radiation, reported Israel's YnetNews.
Cells exposed to large doses of radiation die, scientists have found, when the cell's "suicide mechanism" is activated. The new medication based on intestinal bacteria works by suppressing the mechanism that causes cells to die and allows them to recover.
Read the rest of this saving injection
Labels: America, Health, Technology
posted by ablur at 7/19/2009 07:14:00 PM
3 Comments:
A suumary of sv=cience paper
An agonist of toll-like receptor 5 has radioprotective activity in mouse and primate models.
The toxicity of ionizing radiation is associated with massive apoptosis in radiosensitive organs. Here, we investigate whether a drug that activates a signaling mechanism used by tumor cells to suppress apoptosis can protect healthy cells from the harmful effects of radiation. We studied CBLB502, a polypeptide drug derived from Salmonella flagellin that binds to Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and activates nuclear factor-kappaB signaling. A single injection of CBLB502 before lethal total-body irradiation protected mice from both gastrointestinal and hematopoietic acute radiation syndromes and resulted in improved survival. CBLB502 injected after irradiation also enhanced survival, but at lower radiation doses. It is noteworthy that the drug did not decrease tumor radiosensitivity in mouse models. CBLB502 also showed radioprotective activity in lethally irradiated rhesus monkeys. Thus, TLR5 agonists could potentially improve the therapeutic index of cancer radiotherapy and serve as biological protectants in radiation emergencies.
That is absolutely fascinating. I had no idea whatsoever that anything like that was being tested or even invented for that matter. This could be such a huge defense for us! I don't understand a lot of the scientific stuff so I leave that to nikit2h. I think I understood every 10th word or so! :-)
nikit2h- Thanks for the article summery. The real key is stopping the toxic syndrome so your body can metabolize basic needs. Radiation attacks the soft tissue of the body and shuts down the various receptors that allow your body to function normally. This injection offers hope that your body can shed the shutdown and continue with basic metabolic functions.
The immediate use on chemo and other radiation based treatments is also fantastic. This could go a long way in advancing cancer treatment.
Jenn- My background in medicine makes stories like this very interesting to me. It is exciting seeing break through like this that have the potential to save many lives.
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