High-throughput screening of radioprotectors using rat thymocytes.

We invented a high-throughput screening method for the examination of radioprotective activity of chemical compounds using rat thymocytes. X-irradiation of the rat thymocytes induced apoptosis, leading to a significant cell shrinkage, which could be easily detected and directly quantified by the flow cytometry analysis. The protective effect of some natural antioxidants against radiation induced apoptosis in the rat thymocytes, as well as their toxicities without X-irradiation, was successfully evaluated using this method. This method provides a powerful tool to develop novel radioprotectors without toxicity and can also be widely used to estimate other oxidative stress except for radiation.