Dotting the eyes: mouse strain dependency of the lens epithelium to low dose radiation-induced DNA damage

Purpose: Epidemiological evidence regarding the radiosensitivity of the lens of the eye and radiation cataract development has led to changes in the EU Basic Safety Standards for protection of the lens against ionizing radiation. However, mechanistic details of lens radiation response pathways and their significance for cataractogenesis remain unclear. Radiation-induced DNA damage and the potential impairment of repair pathways within the lens epithelium, a cell monolayer that covers the anterior hemisphere of the lens, are likely to be involved.

Materials and Methods: In this work, the lens epithelium has been analyzed for its DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair response to ionizing radiation. The responses of epithelial cells located at the anterior pole (central region) have been compared to at the very periphery of the monolayer (germinative and transitional zones). Described here are the different responses in the two regions and across four strains (C57BL/6, 129S2, BALB/c and CBA/Ca) over a low dose (0–25 mGy) in-vivo whole body X-irradiation range up to 24?hours post exposure.

Results: DNA damage and repair as visualized through 53BP1 staining was present across the lens epithelium, although repair kinetics appeared non-uniform. Epithelial cells in the central region have significantly more 53BP1 foci. The sensitivities of different mouse strains have also been compared.

Conclusions: 129S2 and BALB/c showed higher levels of DNA damage, with BALB/c showing significantly less inter-individual variability and appearing to be a more robust model for future DNA damage and repair studies. As a result of this study, BALB/c was identified as a suitable radiosensitive lens strain to detect and quantify early low dose ionizing radiation DNA damage effects in the mouse eye lens specifically, as an indicator of cataract formation.     

Molecular processes and radiosensitivity

Background

DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) are the most genotoxic lesions induced by ionizing radiation. At least 2 different pathways for DSB repair have been identified, homologous and non-homologous recombination.

Methods

Studies on X-ray-sensitive mutants have led to the identification of several genes involved in processing of DSB in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells.

Results and Conclusion

In mammalian cells non-homologous recombination is the main pathway for DSB repair, while the role of homologous recombination in DSB repair awaits clarification. It is known that, in addition to DNA repair, other safeguards control the human, cellular response to ionizing radiation, such as cell cycle regulation and mechanisms involved in scavenging of free radicals produced by ionizing radiation.     

Cell Cycle Responses of Two X-ray Sensitive Mutants Defective in DNA Repair

Summary

Both the xrs and V-3 lines of Chinese hamster ovary cells exhibit marked sensitivity to ionizing radiation. They are also sensitive to agents such as bleomycin and H₂O₂ but exhibit normal responses to ultraviolet light and mitomycin C. Both cell lines are defective in split-dose repair and repair of double-strand breaks in DNA. Analysis of response to radiation as a function of age in the cell cycle indicates that both cell lines exhibit a marked sensitivity in late G₁ and early S phase with more limited sensitization throughout the remainder of the cell cycle.     

Detection of DNA Damage in Cells Exposed to Ionizing Radiation by Use of Anti-single-stranded DNA Monoclonal Antibody

Summary

An immunochemical method has been developed for quantitative detection of DNA damage in mammalian cells. The method is based on the binding of a monoclonal antibody to single-stranded DNA. The clone producing this antibody (D1B) was obtained as a by-product from fusion of mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from a mouse immunized with chemically modified DNA. The technique is based upon the determination of the percentage single-strandedness resulting from the time-dependent partial unwinding of cellular DNA under alkaline conditions. Single- and double-strand DNA breaks, or lesions converted into such breaks in alkaline medium, form initiation points for the unwinding. The extent of unwinding from these points under defined conditions is a measure of the number of such sites. The method is rapid, does not require radioactive labelling of DNA or physical separation of single- from double-stranded molecules, is sufficiently sensitive to detect damage induced by 1 Gy of ionizing radiation and needs only small numbers of cells. The usefulness of the technique was demonstrated in a study of the induction of DNA damage and its repair in cultured Chinese hamster cells and in human white blood cells after exposure to ⁶⁰Co-γ-rays, and in white blood cells and bone marrow cells of X-irradiated mice. A dose-related DNA unwinding was observed and repair of DNA lesions was observed up to 60 min after irradiation.     

Repair of Potentially Lethal Damage by Introduction of T4 DNA Ligase in Eucaryotic Cells

Summary

The bacterial enzyme PvuII, which generates blunt-ended DNA double-strand breaks, and T4 DNA ligase, which seals adjacent DNA fragments in coupling to ATP cleavage, were introduced in mouse C3H10T1/2 fibroblasts using osmolytic shock of pinocytic vesicles. Cells were then assayed for their clonogenic ability. In agreement with previous studies by others, we find that the PvuII restriction endonuclease simulates ionizing radiation effects by causing a dose-dependent loss of reproductive capacity. Here we show that the concomitant treatment with DNA ligase considerably increases cell survival. Survival curves were shown to be dependent on the ligase enzyme dose and on ATP concentration in the hypertonic medium. We conclude that T4 DNA ligase is able to repair some of the potentially lethal damage produced by restriction endonucleases in eucaryotic cells.     

Modelling of cell killing due to sparsely ionizing radiation in normoxic and hypoxic conditions and an extension to high LET radiation

Abstract

Purpose: An approach for describing cell killing with sparsely ionizing radiation in normoxic and hypoxic conditions based on the initial number of randomly distributed DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) is proposed. An extension of the model to high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation is also presented.

Materials and methods: The model is based on the probabilities that a given DNA giant loop has one DSB or at least two DSB. A linear combination of these two classes of damage gives the mean number of lethal lesions. When coupled with a proper modelling of the spatial distribution of DSB from ion tracks, the formalism can be used to predict cell response to high LET radiation in aerobic conditions.

Results: Survival data for sparsely ionizing radiation of cell lines in normoxic/hypoxic conditions were satisfactorily fitted with the proposed parametrization. It is shown that for dose ranges up to about 10 Gy, the model describes tested experimental survival data as good as the linear-quadratic model does. The high LET extension yields a reasonable agreement with data in aerobic conditions.

Conclusions: A new survival model has been introduced that is able to describe the most relevant features of cellular dose-response postulating two damage classes.     

单细胞凝胶电泳检测辐射诱导的DNA双链 断裂修复时效性研究

目的 探讨细胞DNA辐射损伤修复时效性,拟合修复曲线和修复平面模型,提高其在辐射生物剂量估算中应用的准确性。方法 通过对离体外周血淋巴细胞用不同剂量γ射线照射后3、24、48 和72 h进行中性单细胞凝胶电泳实验,检测辐射诱导的DNA双链断裂修复程度。结果 照射后不同时间点的剂量-效应曲线和不同剂量点的修复曲线拟合度均较高(r >0.98, P <0.01),将两者结合后,拟合的曲面光滑度较好。结论 不同剂量下的损伤修复呈线性关系,修复曲面模型可用于辐射原发损伤估算。     

Cerenkov Ultraviolet Radiation (137Cs γ-rays) and Direct Excitation (137Cs γ-rays and 50 kVp X-rays) Produce Photoreactivable Damage in Escherichia Coli

Summary

The mechanism of formation of photoreactivable damage in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by ionizing radiation in a dark repair deficient strain of Escherichia coli (uvr A recA) has been investigated. By altering the ratio of damage produced directly (by ionization) to that formed indirectly (by Cerenkov ultraviolet (U.V.) radiation) by ¹³⁷Cs γ-rays, it has been demonstrated that the major portion of the photoreactivable damage is produced by Cerenkov U.V. radiation. The amount of photoreactivable damage produced by 50kVp X-rays, which cannot generate Cerenkov radiation, is similar to that component of photoreactivable damage produced by ¹³⁷Cs γ-rays that is not attributed to Cerenkov radiation. It is suggested that the second mechanism of formation of photoreactivable damage in DNA by ionizing radiation is the direct excitation of DNA. The possible role of Cerenkov U.V. radiation in ionizing radiation mutagenesis is discussed.     

Trends and Developments in Radioprotection: The Effect of Nicotinamide on DNA Repair

Summary

Recent studies point to the naturally occurring molecules in expression of radiation damage and in protection. DNA repair was shown to be one of the parameters that can be modified to attain improved protection. The need for a natural compound that can enhance DNA repair in order to improve cellular protection focused our attention on nicotinamide (NA). The effects of addition of NA, a precursor for NAD⁺ synthesis, on the DNA repair capacity following γ and ultraviolet irradiations were studied in several repair-proficient and repair-deficient cell lines. The addition of low concentrations of NA (< 3 mm) resulted in increased repair synthesis in the repair-proficient cells. Addition to repair-deficient cells resulted in decreased repair synthesis. Cells which repair damage from one type of radiation, and not from another, responded accordingly to the presence of NA. However, addition of high concentrations of NA to repair-proficient cells resulted in decreased repair synthesis. Thus, nicotinamide can improve the repair capacity in a concentration-dependent manner, but it clearly requires the existence of functional repair processes.     

Recent Developments in the Assessment of Chromosomal Damage

Ionizing radiation and restriction endonucleases are very efficient in inducing chromosomal aberrations (CAs). These aberrations are mainly consequences of misrepair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The fast repairing component of DSBs induced by ionizing radiation seems to be responsible for exchange aberration. Use of premature chromosome condensation technique in combination with DNA repair inhibitors such as ara A has given valuable information on the assessment of the frequencies of initial chromosome breaks and the kinetics of their repair following low LET radiation. The recently developed ‘chromosome painting’ technique using chromosome-specific libraries has also increased considerably the resolution of identifying and scoring of CAs. After low LET radiation, stable chromosome exchanges (translocations) are induced more frequently than unstable chromosome exchanges (dicentrics). Fluorescence in situ hybridization employing telomeric probe has made it possible to score efficiently exchange aberrations involving the acrocentric chromosomes of mouse. Chinese hamster cells have several intercalary telomeric sequences present in most of the chromosomes. These telomeric blocks have been found to be associated with chromosomal aberrations induced by restriction endonucleases and short wave UV and evidence has been obtained for apparent amplification of telomeric sequences at the break points.     

Differential DNA double strand break fixation dependence on poly(ADP-ribosylation) in L5178Y and CHO cells

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of poly(ADP-ribosylation) in DNA double-strand break repair and fixation in murine lymphoma L5178Y (LY) sublines, LY-R and LY-S, and a pair of Chinese hamster ovary lines: wild-type and mutant xrs6 cells, that have differences in repair competence and degree of radiosensitization with poly(ADP-ribosylation) inhibitors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells (asynchronous, logarithmic phase) were pre-incubated with 2 mM aminobenzamide at 37 or 25 degrees C, X-irradiated with 10 Gy and allowed to repair DNA breaks for 15, 60 and 120 min at 37 or 25 degrees C. The remaining double-strand break were estimated by the neutral comet assay. RESULTS: At 37 degrees C, no effect of AB treatment on the repair kinetics was observed either in xrs6 or Chinese hamster ovary (wild-type) cells. In contrast, aminobenzamide decreased the repair of double-strand break in the LY-S line but not the LY-R line, in agreement with the previously observed radiosensitization of LY cells by poly(ADP-ribosylation) inhibition. However, double-strand break rejoining in the repair competent cell lines, Chinese hamster ovary and LY-R, also was affected by aminobenzamide when the post-irradiation incubation was carried out at 25 degrees C. Analysis of these results together with earlier data on LY-S cells have been interpreted in terms of Radford's model of radiation damage fixation. CONCLUSION: The reported results indicate that poly(ADP-ribosylation) can be an important modulator of the conversion of DNA damage to lethal events.     

Reply to Letter by C. B. Seymour and C. Mothersill

Summary

V79 379A cells were irradiated and then exposed to anisotonic PBS for 20 min. This enhanced the radiation effect resulting from the fixation of potentially lethal damage. The induction of DNA single- and double-strand breaks is not increased by this treatment. Anisotonic treatment delayed the onset of repair of DNA damage. However when cells were returned to normal medium, they repaired the damage to a similar extent as cells not exposed to the anisotonic treatment. We suggest that the fixation of damage by post-irradiation anisotonic treatment is mediated through an increased probability of misrepair of DNA damage due to the delay in the onset of repair. This is supported by the observation that there is a reduced effect of post-irradiation anisotonic treatment on cells that have a markedly reduced ability to repair double-strand breaks.     

Efficiency of radiation-induced base lesion excision and the order of enzymatic treatment

Purpose: To clarify whether initial base excision repair processes at clustered DNA damage sites comprising multiple base lesions affect subsequent excision processes via the formation of additional strand breaks by glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease base excision enzymes.

Materials and methods: Plasmid DNA (pUC18) as a model DNA molecule was exposed to high-linear-energy-transfer (LET) ionizing radiation (He^2+?or C^6+?ions) or low-LET ionizing radiation (X-rays) under various conditions to produce varied radical-scavenging effects. pUC18 was then treated sequentially or simultaneously with two bacterial base excision enzymes (glycosylases), namely, endonuclease III and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase, which convert pyrimidine (or abasic [AP] site) and purine (or AP site) lesions to single-strand breaks (SSB), respectively. Yields of additional SSB or double-strand breaks (DSB) as digestion products were examined after changing the order of enzymatic treatment.

Results: There were few differences among the enzymatic treatments, indicating that treatment order did not affect the final yields of additional SSB or DSB formed by glycosylase activity. This suggests that of the total damage, the fraction of clustered damage sites with a persistent base lesion dependent on the order of glycosylase treatment was insignificant if present.

Conclusion: Base lesion clusters induced by high- or low-LET radiation appear three or more base pairs apart, and are promptly converted to a DSB by glycosylase, regardless of the order of enzymatic treatment.     

Radioactivity in Man

Summary

We have estimated the rate of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in human lymphocytes from measurements of tritiated thymidine incorporation into double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) during incubation of cells in vitro. Cells were not subjected to stresses except those associated with careful handling, or in certain experiments, mild heating or treatment with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Contribution of scheduled DNA synthesis (SDS) to incorporation was reduced by inhibiting replication and separating freshly replicated single-stranded DNA from repaired ds-DNA by chromatography. By increasing the incubation temperature, which decreases SDS and increases UDS, the residual contribution of scheduled DNA synthesis to thymidine incorporation into ds-DNA was estimated. Effects of increasing the number of cells in S-phase by phytohaemagglutinin were also investigated. Results suggest that: the rate of unscheduled DNA synthesis is about 500 ± 100 thymidine molecules incorporated per cell per hour; a temperature-sensitive process, probably hydrolysis of DNA, contributes much of the damage repaired by UDS; background ionizing radiation contributes little to the damage; and damage caused by DNA hydrolysis is repaired much more efficiently than lethal damage caused by ionizing radiation. Large increases in incorporation into ds-DNA occurred when cells were stimulated with PHA.     

Time-lapse Microscopy and DNA Double-strand Breakage of Chinese Hamster Cells Under Conditions Promoting or Preventing PLD Repair after Irradiation with 60Co γ Rays

Summary

We have confirmed previous time-lapse microscopic observations (Suzuki 1985) using Chinese hamster hai and V79 cells. The proportion of non-dividing to dividing cells was the same under conditions of potentially lethal damage (PLD) repair and non-PLD repair after irradiation with ⁶⁰Co γ-rays. This finding suggested that the radiation-induced damage to cellular DNA was similarly repaired so that cells undergo a first division to the same extent under both sets of conditions. In fact, direct measurement of double-strand breaks (dsb) in DNA from the two cell lines by the neutral elution technique showed no differences either in the initial amount of damage or in the time-course under conditions promoting or preventing PLD repair. These results indicate that PLD repair (i.e. an increase in cell survival) cannot be simply explained by a difference in the repair of dsb, but it can perhaps be explained by assuming that DNA damage is repaired with either fewer or more errors in the presence or absence of PLD repair respectively.     

L5178Y sublines: a look back from 40 years. Part 2: Response to ionizing radiation

The aim was to review and summarize the results of 40 years of study concerning the response to ionizing radiation of the pair of L5178Y (LY) sublines, LY-R and LY-S, that differ in sensitivity to various DNA-damaging agents, among them X- and γ-rays. The reviewed data indicate the key importance of DNA damage repair and fixation for the ultimate fate of the irradiated LY cell. The cause of slow double-strand break (DSB) repair in LY-S cells is not identified, but a defect in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) would explain most features of the cellular response of LY-S cells to irradiation, as compared with repair-competent LY-R cells. The most prominent features are the very high radiosensitivity of G1 cells, extensive poly(ADP-ribose)-dependent damage fixation, long G2 arrest, considerable chromosomal damage seen as premature chromatin condensation (PCC) fragments and aberrations in metaphase cells. The main cause of radiosensitivity difference between LY sublines is in DNA repair/damage fixation ability. At the level of damage corresponding to a comparable lethal effect, the type of death differs between LY sublines; LY-S cells die in considerably greater proportion by apoptosis than LY-R cells, whereas the latter die in greater proportion by necrosis. This observation is consistent with differential expression of proteins that are pro- or anti-apoptotic. The prominent role of poly(ADP-ribosylation) in the response of LY-S cells apparently is connected with damage fixation, but is in contrast to other cell lines hypersensitive to X- or γ-radiation with DSB repair defects.     

L5178Y sublines: a look back from 40 years. Part 2: response to ionizing radiation

The aim was to review and summarize the results of 40 years of study concerning the response to ionizing radiation of the pair of L5178Y (LY) sublines, LY-R and LY-S, that differ in sensitivity to various DNA-damaging agents, among them X- and gamma-rays. The reviewed data indicate the key importance of DNA damage repair and fixation for the ultimate fate of the irradiated LY cell. The cause of slow double-strand break (DSB) repair in LY-S cells is not identified, but a defect in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) would explain most features of the cellular response of LY-S cells to irradiation, as compared with repair-competent LY-R cells. The most prominent features are the very high radiosensitivity of G1 cells, extensive poly(ADP-ribose)-dependent damage fixation, long G2 arrest, considerable chromosomal damage seen as premature chromatin condensation (PCC) fragments and aberrations in metaphase cells. The main cause of radiosensitivity difference between LY sublines is in DNA repair/damage fixation ability. At the level of damage corresponding to a comparable lethal effect, the type of death differs between LY sublines; LY-S cells die in considerably greater proportion by apoptosis than LY-R cells, whereas the latter die in greater proportion by necrosis. This observation is consistent with differential expression of proteins that are pro- or anti-apoptotic. The prominent role of poly(ADP-ribosylation) in the response of LY-S cells apparently is connected with damage fixation, but is in contrast to other cell lines hypersensitive to X- or gamma-radiation with DSB repair defects.     

The Initial Physical Damage Produced by Ionizing Radiations

Summary

Biophysical studies of different ionizing radiations and their differences in biological effect can provide useful information and constraints on the nature of the initial biologically relevant damage and hence the subsequent biochemistry and repair processes. It is clear that the nature of the predominant critical component produced by densely ionizing (high-LET) radiations is qualitatively, as well as quantitatively, different from that which predominates for low-LET radiations. Comparisons of radiation track structure with observed biological effects of the radiations allow hypotheses to be developed as to the nature of these different types of damage. That associated with low-LET radiations seems consistent with what is known about DNA double-strand breaks (dsb). It is produced predominantly by a localized cluster of ionizations within a single electron ‘track end’ either by direct action on the DNA or in conjunction with closely-associated molecules. The characteristic high-LET damage is somewhat larger in number of ionizations and spatial extent and therefore presumably also in molecular complexity. It is suggested that the total spectrum of initial damage be categorized into four classes; in addition to the above two this would include on the one extreme sparse isolated ionizations, which may lead to very simple products that are of limited biological relevance, and on the other extreme very large and relatively rare events which are uniquely achievable by some high-LET radiations, such as alpha-particles, but not at all by low-LET radiations. These biophysical considerations pose a challenge to radiation chemistry studies to consider the chemical consequences of highly localized clusters of initial ionizations and excitations in or very near to DNA, and to biochemistry to consider classes of damage involving DNA (and perhaps associated molecules) of greater complexity than the simplest dsb.     

Hyperthermic radiosensitization: mode of action and clinical relevance

PURPOSE: To provide an update on the recent knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of thermal radiosensitization and its possible relevance to thermoradiotherapy. SUMMARY: Hyperthermia is probably the most potent cellular radiosensitizer known to date. Heat interacts with radiation and potentiates the cellular action of radiation by interfering with the cells' capability to deal with radiation-induced DNA damage. For ionizing irradiation, heat inhibits the repair of all types of DNA damage. Genetic and biochemical data suggest that the main pathways for DNA double-strand break (DSB) rejoining, non-homologous end-joining and homologous recombination, are not the likely primary targets for heat-induced radiosensitization. Rather, heat is suggested to affect primarily the religation step of base excision repair. Subsequently additional DSB arise during the DNA repair process in irradiated and heated cells and these additional DSB are all repaired with slow kinetics, the repair of which is highly error prone. Both mis- and non-rejoined DSB lead to an elevated number of lethal chromosome aberrations, finally causing additional cell killing. Heat-induced inhibition of DNA repair is considered not to result from altered signalling or enzyme inactivation but rather from alterations in higher-order chromatin structure. Although, the detailed mechanisms are not yet known, a substantial body of indirect and correlative data suggests that heat-induced protein aggregation at the level of attachment of looped DNA to the nuclear matrix impairs the accessibility of the damaged DNA for the repair machinery or impairs the processivity of the repair machinery itself. CONCLUSION: Since recent phase III clinical trials have shown significant benefit of adding hyperthermia to radiotherapy regimens for a number of malignancies, it will become more important again to determine the molecular effects underlying this success. Such information could eventually also improve treatment quality in terms of patient selection, improved sequencing of the heat and radiation treatments, the number of heat treatments, and multimodality treatments (i.e. thermochemoradiotherapy).     

Tip60基因沉默对细胞DNA双链断裂修复和辐射敏感性的影响

目的 探讨Tip60对细胞辐射敏感性的影响及相关机制。方法 采用siRNA和Tip60乙酰转移酶抑制剂漆树酸,抑制U2OS细胞中Tip60的表达或乙酰转移酶活性;用克隆形成率分析细胞对⁶⁰Co γ射线的敏感性;采用γ-H2AX原位免疫荧光集簇点法,检测DNA双链断裂损伤修复;用免疫共沉淀检测蛋白质的相互作用。结果 siRNA沉默Tip60表达明显提高了U2OS细胞对1、2 Gy中、低剂量γ射线的敏感性(t=3.364、3.979,P＜0.05),但对4 Gy大剂量照射的细胞存活率无明显影响。γ-H2AX集簇点检测结果表明,照射后1、4和8 h,Tip60失活导致细胞DNA双链断裂修复能力降低(t=3.875、3.183和3.175, P<0.05)。细胞在受到电离辐射损伤后,Tip60与DNA修复蛋白DNA-PKcs发生相互作用,漆树酸能抑制DNA-PKcs的T2609位点的磷酸化。结论 Tip60通过与DNA-PKcs相互作用,调控细胞DNA双链断裂修复机制,对细胞辐射敏感性产生影响。