Sensitivity of C3H10T1/2 cells to radiation-induced killing and neoplastic transformation as a function of cell cycle

Abstract

Cell-age sensitivity to both cell killing and neoplastic transformation induced by radiation was investigated using synchronized populations of C3H10T1/2 cells. Mitotic-cell suspensions, collected using a mitotic shake-off procedure, were irradiated with 4 Gy 250 kVp X-rays or 0. 5 Gy fission neutrons from the RSV-TAPIRO reactor at CR-Casaccia. For study of cell killing the mitotic-cell suspensions were either irradiated immediately after collection, or plated for subsequent irradiation, which was performed every hour, covering an interval of 17 h. The response pattern observed was similar after X-rays and neutron irradiation, but the magnitude of the variation through the cell cycle was smaller in the case of neutrons (1.3- compared with 5-fold). For study of neoplastic transformation induction the irradiation was performed immediately after collection, i.e. in M phase, or at later times corresponding to mid-G 1, G1/S and G2 phases. The sensitivity of the G 2/M phase was examined by irradiating the cells with 4 Gy X-rays while still attached to the flask bottom, and dislodging them after 25 min. Similarly to cell survival, the transformation frequency showed a small variation after neutron irradiation (1. 4- compared with 3. 1-fold) for the phases examined.