Effects of Dopamine Receptor Antagonists and Radiation on Mouse Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells.

Combination therapy of dopamine receptor antagonists with radiation have entered clinical trials against glioblastoma but the normal tissue toxicity of this combination has not been fully explored yet. Here we present evidence that some dopamine receptor antagonists show sex-dependent effects on neural stem/progenitor cells either by protecting neural stem/progenitor cells from radiation or inducing an expansion of the stem cell pool, suggesting that this combination therapy against glioblastoma will not increase radiation-induced cognitive decline through increasing elimination of neural stem/progenitor cells and subsequent loss of neurogenesis. Normal tissue toxicity of this combination potentially differs depending on age and sex and should be further explored in clinical trials.