A comparative study of the radioprotective effects of cysteamine, WR-2721, and WR-1065 in cultured human cells.

The compounds, 2-mercaptoethylamine (cysteamine), S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid (WR-2721), and N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane (WR-1065) were tested for toxicity and radioprotective effect in cultured human cells using viability (reproductive death) as an indicator. WR-2721 and WR-1065 had no harmful effect at concentrations of 4 and 10 mM for periods up to 3 hr whereas cysteamine was toxic if left in contact with the cells for more than 30 min. The response of the cells to radiation was measured after a 30-min treatment with 4 mM of each protective agent. Survival curves were constructed and the following dose reduction factors (DRFs) were calculated: WR-2721, 1.3; cysteamine, 2.3; WR-1065, 2.9. Increasing the concentration of protective agent did not increase the DRF under these conditions except in the case of cysteamine. Extending the period of treatment with drug before irradiation increased the DRF for WR-2721 and WR-1065; values up to 1.8 and 3.4 were obtained with 10 mM WR-2721 and WR-1065, respectively. With these two compounds, the rate of development of protection with time is almost independent of concentration until the maximum is attained; it is probably controlled by the rate of transport across the cell membrane, in the case of WR-1065, and by