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Irradiation causes an increase in serum and plasma level of thromboxane in rabbits and an increase in thromboxane synthesis in blood platelets stimulated by thrombin. Thromboxane release from thoracic aorta is also increased upon irradiation of animals. H2O2 which stimulates thromboxane release from thoracic control aorta is without effect in the irradiated one.

A failure of thromboxane (TX) A2 synthesis may be a factor in cancer. Such a loss could explain the susceptibility to mutation, the excess prostaglandin production, the glycolytic mode of metabolism and the deranged calcium pumping characteristic of cancers. Ionising radiation and phorbols both have actions similar to inhibitors of TXA2 synthesis whereas colchicine and oxygen have actions consistent with stimulation of TXA2 synthesis. The concept accounts logically for hitherto unexplained features of cancer and suggests new strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

One year aged rabbits were exposed to a single dose of 100, 500 or 1000 rd (1.0, 5.0 or 10 Gy) to the abdominal aorta. The non-irradiated thoracic aortic segment served as control. The animals were killed between one and 336 hours after the irradiation. Four animals were examined in each group. The prostacyclin formation was assessed by means of a radioimmunoassay against its stable breakdown 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, the thromboxane A2-formation using a radioimmunoassay for thromboxane B2. Local irradiation causes a temporary increase of both the compounds. In contrast to thromboxane B2, the 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha exhibits a long-lasting depression. The higher the radiation dose, the more intensive the increase and the long-lasting depression of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha. The liberation of eicosanoids and subsequent hemostatic dysregulation at different intervals after irradiation might contribute to an important extent to the radiation induced vasculopathy.