Effects of Whole Body X-Irradiation on 17-Hydroxycorticosteroid Levels, Leucocytes and Volume of Packed Red Cells in the Rhesus Monkey

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Abstract
Plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels, total white counts, direct eosinophil counts, differential white cell counts, and volume of packed red cells were followed in 1 cynomolgus and 23 rhesus monkeys after total X-irradiation with doses of 50-800 r. Plasma 17-hydroxy-corticbsteroid levels rose promptly after irradiation, reached a peak in 4-8 hours, and returned to normal within 12 hours. The degree of increase and its duration were related to radiation dose. After the first 12 hours, plasma steroid levels remained normal until a terminal increase occurred shortly before death. The increase on the 1st day was comparable to that obtained with maximal doses of ACTH, but the terminal one was 2-3 times greater. The rise in plasma steroid levels on the 1st day was accompanied uniformly by striking polymorphonuclear leukocytosis, eosinopenia and lymphopenia. The degree of eosinopenia showed some correlation with irradiation dose, while the leukocytosis and lymphopenia showed little. By the end of the 1st day these counts returned to or toward normal; then in subsequent days, pancytopenia gradually appeared and was maximum at about 15 days if the animal survived that long. The timing of the maximum cytopenia was independent of radiation dosage, although the degree of cytopenia correlated well with the dose of radiation.