Mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells of rats' bone marrow under chronic action of ionizing radiation.

Under the influence of ionizing radiation on hematopoietic system, the level of its injury is determined not only by the radiosensitivity of hematopoietic stem cells, but also by radiation induced changes in microenvironment func tioning, in particular, mesenchymal stem cells as its components.

OBJECTIVE: to define functioning characteristics of mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells of rats' bone marrow under prolonged action of ionizing radiation as a result of 90Sr incorporation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We applied the model of Wistar rats' internal irradiation with 90Sr radionuclide and per formed the in vitro cultivation of their bone marrow mesenchymal cells. Colony forming efficiency in the in vitro cell culture was determined, as well as the possibility of these cells to form feeder layers and to support rat bone mar row hematopoietic cells in the culture of diffusion chambers in vitro.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We established that chronic action of incorporated 90Sr radionuclide induced considerable decrease in proliferative activity of mesenchymal stem cells comparing to control, as well as the inhibition of the capability to prolonged support of hematopoietic processes in vitro by their feeder layers.Thus, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and their closest progeny - progenitor cells were characterized by rather high radiosensitivity under the influence of ionizing radiation, which was revealed in considerable decline of their functional activity in cell culture in vitro comparing to control indices as a result of irradiation.