Phenotypic Characteristics of Dormant Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Surviving Multifraction X-Ray Irradiation.

Phenotypic characteristics of human non-small cell lung cancer cells, A549 (p53 wild-type) and H1299 (p53-deficient) as well as their descendants surviving after multifraction X-ray irradiation at a cumulative dose of 60 Gy (sublines A549HR and H1299HR, respectively) were studied before and after additional 2 Gy single dose irradiation. In 24 h after the additional irradiation, we observed a significant increase in the proportion of cells with signs of entosis (by 5 times, p<0.05) and SA-ß-gal+ cells (by 1.6 times, p<0.01) in the general population of A549HR cells. In contrast, a significant increase in the proportion of only SA-ß-gal+ multinucleated giant cancer cells was revealed in the parental A549 cells. Additional single dose irradiation resulted in a significant (by 1.8 times, p<0.05) increase in the proportion of multinucleated giant cancer cells in H1299HR cells in comparison with their parental H1299 cells. These changes did not correlate with changes in the proportion of entotic cells, because their high basal content in the absence of functional p53 did not change in response to additional single dose irradiation. At the same time, both p53-deficient non-small cell lung cancer cell lines showed a significant (2.9-fold for H1299 and 5.5-fold for H1299HR cells, p<0.001) increase in the proportion of SA-ß-gal+ cells in the general population, but not in the multinucleated giant cancer cells population.

Transcriptomic Analysis of DNA Repair Pathways in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Surviving Multifraction X-Ray Irradiation.

Radioresistant sublines of non-small cell lung cancer cells differing in the p53 status were obtained: A549 (p53 wild type) and H1299 (p53 deficient). The exposure to ionizing radiation was carried out using a standard protocol developed on the basis of empirical clinical experience and consisting in exposure in a dose of 2 Gy once a day, 5 days a week up to total dose of 60 Gy. The cells survived after irradiation demonstrated reduced radiosensitivity, as well as changes in differential gene expression in comparison with parental cells. Some differences in the signaling pathways involved in DNA repair were revealed.

Comparative Analysis of the Formation of γH2AX Foci in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Exposed to 3H-Thymidine, Tritium Oxide, and X-Rays Irradiation.

We performed a comparative study of the formation of γН2АХ foci (a marker of DNA doublestrand breaks) in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells after 24-h incubation with 3Н-thimidin and tritium oxide with low specific activities (50-800 MBq/liter). The dependence of the number of γH2AX foci on specific activity of 3H-thymidine was described by a linear equation y=2.21+43.45x (R2=0.96), where y is the number of γH2AX foci per nucleus and x is specific activity in 1000 MBq/liter. For tritium oxide, the relationship was described by a linear equation y=2.52+6.70x (R2=0.97). Thus, the yield of DNA double-strand breaks after exposure to 3H-thymidine was 6.5-fold higher than after exposure to tritium oxide. Comparison of the effects of tritium oxide and X-ray radiation on the yield of DNA double-strand breaks showed that the relative biological efficiency of tritium oxide in a dose range of 3.78-60.26 mGy was 1.6-fold higher than that of X-ray radiation. Improvement of the methods of analysis of DNA double-strand breaks repair foci is highly promising in the context of creation of highly sensitive biodosimetry technologies for tritium compounds in humans.

[Slow Formation and Degradation of γH2AX Foci in Human Skin Fibroblasts Exposed to Low-Dose X-Ray Radiation].

It was shown that the kinetics of changes of γH2AX foci number (marker of DNA double-strand breaks) in human skin fibroblasts after exposure to low doses of X-ray radiation (20, 40 and 80 mGy) differs from that observed after exposure to medium-low doses (160 and 240 mGy). After exposure to 160 and 240 mGy the highest number of γH2AX foci was detected at 30 min after exposure (first experimental point) and further their decrease was observed. At the same time we observed a fast phase of repair (upto 4 h), in which there was a decrease of the foci amount to ~50-60% and a slow phase of repair (from 4 h to 24 h). After 24 h only ~3-5% of the foci amount observed at 30 min after irradiation was left. After exposure to low doses, the foci number did not decrease during 2 h and even 24 h after exposure their amount was ~25% from that observed at maximum points (1 h after irradiation at 40 and 80 mGy and 2 h after irradiation at 20 mGy).

[Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on the extent of DNA single-strand breaks and alkali-labile sites induced by 365 nm UV-radiation in human blood lymphocyte nucleoids].

It is shown that exposure of 365 nm UV radiation at doses of 10, 20 and 50 kJ/m2 induces a dose-dependent increase in DNA single-strand breaks and alkali-labile sites (SSB and ALS) detected by comet and halo assays in human blood lymphocyte nucleoids. Adding 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) reduces the SSB and ALS yields--in 3 times. A strong drop in the output of UV-A-induced SSB and ALS in lymphocyte nucleoids in the presence of DMSO shows the leading role of *OH radicals in this DNA damage formation under exposure to 365-nm UV-radiation.

[Effect of incubation in sodium chloride hypertonic solutions on human blood lymphocyte DNA damage formation by long-wave UV-radiation].

Effect of incubation in NaCl hypertonic solutions (0.2, 0.35 and 0.5 mol/L for 1 h at 4 degrees C) on the DNA single-strand breaks (SSB) and alkaline-labile site (ALS) yields induced by long-wave UV-radiation (365 +/- 10 nm) in human blood peripheral lymphocytes in vitro was investigated. It was shown that compared to the cells incubated in NaCl isotonic solution (0.14 mol/L) statistically significant increases in the yields of both spontaneous (-1.5-1.9 times) and UV-A radiation induced (-1.6-1.7 times) DNA damage was observed only at the NaCl concentration of 0.5 mol/L. It is assumed that at this concentration of NaCl, dissociation of the linker histone H1 occurs, the structure of chromatin is disrupted and the free radical-induced DNA damage output dramatically increases.

[Modified DNA-halo method for assessment of DNA damage induced by various genotoxic agents].

Using a modified DNA-halo method single-strand breaks and DNA alkaline-labile site induction were stud- ied in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after a short-term (up to 10 min) exposure in vitro to X-rays, hy- drogen peroxide and long-wave ultraviolet light (365 ± 10 nm). It was shown that the dose-effect dependence in thee X-ray dose range of 0.3-2 Gy approximates by a linear function of y = 0.25 + 0.42x (R2 = 0.98), where y is a DNA-halo index in standardized units, x--a radiation dose in Gy. The effect of "saturation" was ob- served in the range of 2-5 Gy. Under exposure to hydrogen peroxide up to a concentration of 25 µmol/L, the dose-effect is described by a linear function y = 0.23 + 0.033x (R2 = 0.96), where y is the DNA-halo index in standardized units, x--hydrogen peroxide concentration in µmol/L. UV exposure induced a linear in- crease of the DNA-halo index in the dose range of 2-10 kJ/m2 (y = 0.26 + 0.032x (R2 = 0.99), where y is theDNA-halo index in standardized units, x--a radiation dose in kJ/m2). In summary, the described modi- fication of the DNA-halo method provides a simple, sensitive, well reproducible and rapid assay for the anal- ysis of DNA single-strand breaks and alkaline-labile sites in living cells.