A seleno-hormetine protects bone marrow hematopoietic cells against ionizing radiation-induced toxicities

2,29-diselenyldibenzoic acid (DSBA) is a mild thiol peroxidase agent presently in preclinical development. This study reports that the drug has novel seleno-hormetic properties in both murine bone marrow and human liver cells. According with previous in vitro findings, mechanistic aspects of such properties were confirmed to include the activation of Nrf2 transcription factor and an increased expression of downstream stress response genes in the liver and in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of the myeloid lineage. These genes include glutathione S-transferase that is reported to represent a major player in the metabolism and pharmacological function of seleno-organic compounds. As a practical application, DSBA administration prevented bone marrow toxicities following acute exposure to sub-lethal doses of ionizing radiation in C57 BL/6 mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time the pharmacological properties of DSBA in vivo. The findings suggest applications for this selenohormetine in radioprotection and prevention protocols.