[Ex vivo EPR investigation of metabolic changes in mice treated with radiotoxins]

The effect of radiotoxins (RT), obtained from gamma-irradiated potato tubers, on mice have been investigated using ex vivo EPR. Parts of liver, lung, spleen, heart and kidney were used for investigation. The amount of the preparations injected was 0.2 ml, RT concentration varying from 0.1 to 1 LD100 (LD100 = 100 mg/kg). An intraperitoneal injection of RT in dose of 0.1 LD100 resulted in metabolic changes only in spleen. During 8 hours after injection a gradual depression of enzyme ribonucleotide reductase activity in spleen has been observed. After the treatment of mice with a lethal dose of RT signals from nitrosyl complexes have been appeared in spectra from all tissue investigated. The intensities of lines depend both on a time passed after treatment and a sensitivity of tissue to RT action. One of the main reasons of the lethal outcome of mice treated with RT may be the breaking of the compensatory adaptive response due to enhanced hypoxic state resulting from the high concentration of nitrosyl complexes generated in the tissue.