• Corpus ID: 54041092

Retention of plutonium in mouse tissues as affected by antiviral compounds and their analogs

@inproceedings{Lindenbaum1975RetentionOP,
  title={Retention of plutonium in mouse tissues as affected by antiviral compounds and their analogs},
  author={Arthur Lindenbaum and Marcia W. Rosenthal and Raymond A. Guilmette},
  year={1975}
}

• A. Lindenbaum, M. Rosenthal, R. Guilmette
• Published 1975
• Biology

The chelating agent DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) is an effective therapeutic substance for decorporation of extracellar monomeric plutonium in the mouse and dog, but is much less effective in removing intracellular polymeric plutonium (Pu-P). In the absence of effective therapy, this intracellular plutonium is long retained in the body, particularly in reticuloendothelial tissues like the liver. Our interest, therefore, turned to the development of adjunct substances capable of removing additional plutonium from the liver beyond that removable by DTPA alone. We showed that glucan, a yeast cell wall polysaccharide, is a useful adjunct to DTPA for removal of Pu-P from the mouse liver. Its toxicity, however, makes it a less than desirable drug for potential human use. Therefore, we initiated a search for more soluble (and presumably less hazardous) therapeutic agents similar to glucan, i.e., capable of adjunct action with DTPA. Of over 20 substances tested the most successful results were obtained with two antiviral, antitumor compounds, the pyran copolymers XA-124-177 and XA-146-85-2. These are condensation products of divinyl ether and maleic anhydride. Another analog, EMH-227, prepared by condensation of acrylic acid and itaconic acid, was similarly successful. Maximal removal of plutonium from mouse liver was obtained with a single intravenous (I.V.) injection of 10 to 90 mg/kg of pyran copolymer given 5 days after I.V. Pu-P administration. Although these doses increased splenic uptake of plutonium, a dose of 10 mg/kg produced a minimal increase in the splenic burden while producing maximal removal of hepatic plutonium. (auth)