Inhibition of Inflammatory Response in Beta-Irradiated Skin.

Abstract

Summary Treatment of rat skin with beta rays depresses the local reaction to certain inflammatory stimuli. Response to histamine is not inhibited but the histamine liberator 48-80 fails to elicit a response within a few hours after irradiation. Histamine content of the skin is not diminished after beta irradiation. The results shown above suggest that beta rays act by interfering with a tissue protease system which plays an important role in the mechanism of inflammation. The inflammation-inhibiting action of beta rays may be applied to the early detection of radiation injury.