Protective Effect of Adrenal Steroid Administration on Irradiated Mice

Summary 1. Young male and female DBA mice were exposed to 500 r head radiation or whole-body radiation. A correlation is observed between head and whole-body radiation, as judged by the mortality rate. In both instances a 500 r dose gives a 100% mortality rate, but mice receiving whole-body radiation succumb sooner. 2. Mice receiving 500 r head radiation and primed before or after radiation with cortisone or desoxycorticosterone showed evidence that both of these compounds afford protection from the lethal effect of ionizing radiation. 3. Interpretations of the role of the pituitary-adrenal axis under the conditions of these experiments are discussed.