Enhancement of hemopoietic recovery by indomethacin after sublethal whole-body gamma irradiation.

The effect of the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin, a potent prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, on the recovery of hemopoiesis was investigated in sublethally gamma irradiated mice. Treatment with indomethacin after irradiation was found to increase the granulocyte and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood. Furthermore, an increased rate of the restitution of bone marrow cellularity and of the spleen weight was observed. Using the method of 125iodo-deoxyuridine uptake in the spleen, the ability of indomethacin to potentiate cell proliferation was demonstrated.