Low-dose radiation stimulates the proliferation of normal human lung fibroblasts via a transient activation of Raf and Akt

The biological effects of low-dose radiation have been investigated and debated for more than a century, but its cellular effects and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study shows the human cellular responses to low-dose radiation in CCD-18 Lu cells, which are derived from normal human lung fibroblasts. We examined a colony-forming assay for cell survival by ionizing radiation. Live cell counting and cell cycle analysis were measured for cell proliferation and cell cycle progression following low-dose irradiation. We examined Raf and Akt phosphorylation to determine the proliferation mechanism resulting from low-dose radiation. We also observed that p53 and p21 were related to cell cycle response. We found that 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation enhanced cell proliferation and did not change the progression of the cell cycle. In addition, 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation transiently activated Raf and Akt, but did not change phospho-p53, p53 and p21 in CCD-18 Lu cells. However, 2 Gy of ionizing radiation induced cell cycle arrest, phosphorylation of p53, and expression of p53 and p21. The phosphorylation of Raf and Akt proteins induced by 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation was abolished by pre-treatment with an EGFR inhibitor, AG1478, or a PI3k inhibitor, LY294002. Cell proliferation stimulated by 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation was blocked by the suppression of Raf and Akt phosphorylation with these inhibitors. These results suggest that 0.05 Gy of ionizing radiation stimulates cell proliferation through the transient activation of Raf and Akt in CCD-18 Lu cells.     

Enhancement of radiation cytotoxicity by UCN-01 in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells

Thoracic ionizing radiation is a standard component of combined-modality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. To improve low 5-year survival rates (5- 15%), new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of ionizing radiation are needed. The kinase inhibitor UCN-01 has multiple cell cycle effects, including abrogation of DNA damage-induced S- and G(2)-phase arrest, which may limit DNA repair prior to mitosis. To test the hypothesis that therapy-induced cell cycle effects would have an impact on the efficacy of a combination of UCN-01 plus ionizing radiation, the cell cycle responses of the non-small cell lung cancer cell lines Calu1 (TP53-null) and A549 (wild-type TP53) to 2 Gy ionizing radiation were correlated with clonogenic survival after irradiation plus UCN-01. Irradiated cells were exposed to UCN-01 simultaneously and at 3-h increments after irradiation. In Calu1 cells but not A549 cells, sequence-dependent potentiation of radiation by UCN-01 was observed, with maximal interaction occurring when UCN-01 was administered 6 h after irradiation. This coincided with the postirradiation time with the greatest depletion of cells from G(1). Abrogation of G(2) arrest was observed regardless of TP53 status. The role of TP53 was investigated using siRNA to achieve gene silencing. These studies demonstrated that radiation plus UCN-01 was more effective in cells with diminished TP53 activity, associated with a reduced G(1) checkpoint arrest. These studies indicate that simultaneous elimination of multiple DNA damage-induced checkpoints in G(1), S and G(2) may enhance the effects of radiation and that drug scheduling may have an impact on clinical efficacy.     

Quantitative proteomic analysis reveals induction of premature senescence in human umbilical vein endothelial cells exposed to chronic low‐dose rate gamma radiation

Chronic low‐dose ionizing radiation induces cardiovascular disease in human populations but the mechanism is largely unknown. We suggested that chronic radiation exposure may induce endothelial cell senescence that is associated with vascular damage in vivo. We investigated whether chronic radiation exposure is causing a change in the onset of senescence in endothelial cells in vitro. Indeed, when exposed to continuous low‐dose rate gamma radiation (4.1 mGy/h), primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) initiated senescence much earlier than the nonirradiated control cells. We investigated the changes in the protein expression of HUVECs before and during the onset of radiation‐induced senescence. Cellular proteins were quantified using isotope‐coded protein label technology after 1, 3, and 6 weeks of radiation exposure. Several senescence‐related biological pathways were influenced by radiation, including cytoskeletal organization, cell–cell communication and adhesion, and inflammation. Immunoblot analysis showed an activation of the p53/p21 pathway corresponding to the progressing senescence. Our data suggest that chronic radiation‐induced DNA damage and oxidative stress result in induction of p53/p21 pathway that inhibits the replicative potential of HUVECs and leads to premature senescence. This study contributes to the understanding of the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases seen in populations exposed to chronic low‐dose irradiation.     

L-Canavanine as a radiosensitization agent for human pancreatic cancer cells

This study evaluated the in vitro effect of L-canavanine on cell cycle progression in the two human pancreatic cancer cells lines PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2. After 72 h of exposure to L-canavanine, the percentage of cells in the radiosensitive G₂/M phase of the cell cycle increased 6-fold in PANC-1 cells and 4-fold in MIA PaCa-2 cells, when compared to untreated cells. The capacity of L-canavanine to redistribute cells into the G₂/M phase of the cell cycle was both concentration- and time-dependent. Since many drugs that cause cells to accumulate in the G₂/M phase of the cell cycle are effective radiosensitization agents, the potential of L-canavanine to synergistically enhance the effects of ionizing radiation also was evaluated. The interaction between these treatment modalities was quantified using the median-effect equation and combination index analysis. L-Canavanine was found to be synergistic with radiation when either PANC-1 or MIA PaCa-2 cells were exposed to L-canavanine for 72 h prior to irradiation. These results suggest that L-canavanine in combination with radiation may have clinical potential in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.     

Involvement of Brca1 in S-phase and G(2)-phase checkpoints after ionizing irradiation

Cell cycle arrests in the G(1), S, and G(2) phases occur in mammalian cells after ionizing irradiation and appear to protect cells from permanent genetic damage and transformation. Though Brca1 clearly participates in cellular responses to ionizing radiation (IR), conflicting conclusions have been drawn about whether Brca1 plays a direct role in cell cycle checkpoints. Normal Nbs1 function is required for the IR-induced S-phase checkpoint, but whether Nbs1 has a definitive role in the G(2)/M checkpoint has not been established. Here we show that Atm and Brca1 are required for both the S-phase and G(2) arrests induced by ionizing irradiation while Nbs1 is required only for the S-phase arrest. We also found that mutation of serine 1423 in Brca1, a target for phosphorylation by Atm, abolished the ability of Brca1 to mediate the G(2)/M checkpoint but did not affect its S-phase function. These results clarify the checkpoint roles for each of these three gene products, demonstrate that control of cell cycle arrests must now be included among the important functions of Brca1 in cellular responses to DNA damage, and suggest that Atm phosphorylation of Brca1 is required for the G(2)/M checkpoint.     

Radioadaptation in Indian muntjac fibroblast cells induced by low intensity laser irradiation.

Earlier reports have indicated that an adaptive, protective response to ionizing radiation is inducible by pre-treatment with low intensity laser irradiation (LILI). We have investigated the potential of LILI to induce an adaptive response against the damaging effects of ionizing radiation in Indian muntjac fibroblasts. LILI at 660, but not 820 nm, at 11.5 and 23.0 J/cm2, induced an apparent adaptive response in the form of a reduction in the frequency of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations, but not in cell survival. There was also a trend towards a reduction in the level of single-stranded and double-stranded DNA breaks induced by ionizing radiation when cells were preconditioned with LILI. However, this did not contribute to the reduced chromosome aberration frequency. Further analysis revealed that the reduced aberration frequency was caused by a laser-induced extension of G2 delay. The adaptive response was therefore the result of cell cycle modulation by LILI, at a wavelength where there is no known DNA damaging effect to induce the checkpoint mechanisms that are normally responsible for altering cell cycle progression.     

Caffeine induces a second wave of apoptosis after low dose-rate gamma radiation of HL-60 cells

Most cell lines that lack functional p53 protein are arrested in the G₂ phase of the cell cycle due to DNA damage. It was previously found that the human promyelocyte leukemia cells HL-60 (TP53 negative) that had been exposed to ionizing radiation at doses up to 10 Gy were arrested in the G₂ phase for a period of 24 h. The radioresistance of HL-60 cells that were exposed to low dose-rate gamma irradiation of 3.9 mGy/min, which resulted in a pronounced accumulation of the cells in the G₂ phase during the exposure period, increased compared with the radioresistance of cells that were exposed to a high dose-rate gamma irradiation of 0.6 Gy/min. The D₀ value (i.e. the radiation dose leading to 37% cell survival) for low dose-rate radiation was 3.7 Gy and for high dose-rate radiation 2.2 Gy. In this study, prevention of G₂ phase arrest by caffeine (2 mM) and irradiation of cells with low dose-rate irradiation in all phases of the cell cycle proved to cause radiosensitization (D₀=2.2 Gy). The irradiation in the presence of caffeine resulted in a second wave of apoptosis on days 5–7post-irradiation. Caffeine-induced apoptosis occurring later than day 7 post-irradiation is postulated to be a result of unscheduled DNA replication and cell cycle progress.     

Postreplication repair and PCNA modification in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) plays a crucial role in regulating replication past DNA damage in eukaryotes, but the detailed mechanisms appear to vary in different organisms. We have examined the modification of PCNA in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We find that, in response to UV irradiation, PCNA is mono- and poly-ubiquitinated in a manner similar to that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However in undamaged Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells, PCNA is ubiquitinated in S phase, whereas in S. cerevisiae it is sumoylated. Furthermore we find that, unlike in S. cerevisiae, mutants defective in ubiquitination of PCNA are also sensitive to ionizing radiation, and PCNA is ubiquitinated after exposure of cells to ionizing radiation, in a manner similar to the response to UV-irradiation. We show that PCNA modification and cell cycle checkpoints represent two independent signals in response to DNA damage. Finally, we unexpectedly find that PCNA is ubiquitinated in response to DNA damage when cells are arrested in G2.     

Activation of an energy providing response in human keratinocytes after gamma irradiation

We performed a microarray study on human differentiated HaCaT keratinocytes exposed to ionizing radiation (2 or 10 Gy). At 3 h after exposure, more than 150 known and unknown genes were found regulated in irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Among the genes regulated at 3 h, those involved in cell energy metabolism appeared to be the most abundant and the most responsive. Two mitochondrial ATP-synthases and several other genes involved in energy producing pathways, such as glucose metabolism, were induced, whereas many genes from energy requiring pathways were shut down. These changes in energy metabolism were confirmed both in normal primary keratinocytes and in HaCaT keratinocytes by RT-PCR and proteins studies. Moreover, measures of intracellular ATP revealed a 50% increase in keratinocytes immediately after irradiation, supporting an energy procurement response. The overall results indicate that irradiation induces an immediate burst of ATP that seems to be a general response of human differentiated keratinocytes to the radiation stress. This article contains Supplementary Material available at http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/suppmat/0730-2312/suppmat/v95.html     

Polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 regulate the cell cycle through the helix-loop-helix inhibitor Id2

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary kidney disease and is characterized by progressive cyst formation and ultimate loss of renal function. Increased cell proliferation is a key feature of the disease. Here, we show that the ADPKD protein polycystin-2 (PC2) regulates the cell cycle through direct interaction with Id2, a member of the helix-loop-helix (HLH) protein family that is known to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Id2 expression suppresses the induction of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21, by either polycystin-1 (PC1) or PC2. The PC2-Id2 interaction is regulated by PC1-dependent phosphorylation of PC2. Enhanced Id2 nuclear localization is seen in human and mouse cystic kidneys. Inhibition of Id2 expression by RNA interference corrects the hyperproliferative phenotype of PC1 mutant cells. We propose that Id2 has a crucial role in cell-cycle regulation that is mediated by PC1 and PC2.     

A manganese porphyrin complex is a novel radiation protector

Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation leads to formation of reactive oxygen species, which are associated with radiation-induced cytotoxicity. Therefore, compounds that scavenge reactive oxygen species may confer radioprotective effects. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics have been shown to be protective against cell injury caused by reactive oxygen species. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of manganese(III) tetrakis(N-methyl-2-pyridyl)porphyrin (MnTMPyP), a cell-permeable SOD mimetic, on radiation-dependent toxicity. We investigated the protective role of MnTMPyP against ionizing radiation in U937 cells and mice. On exposure to ionizing radiation, there was a distinct difference between control cells and cells pretreated with MnTMPyP with respect to viability, cellular redox status, and oxidative damage to cells. Lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and protein oxidation were significantly lower in the cells treated with MnTMPyP when the cells were exposed to ionizing radiation. The [GSSG]/[GSH + GSSG] ratio and the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species were higher and the [NADPH]/[NADP+ + NADPH] ratio was lower in control cells compared with MnTMPyP-treated cells. Ionizing radiation-induced mitochondrial damage, as reflected by the altered mitochondrial permeability transition, increase in accumulation of reactive oxygen species, reduction of ATP production, and morphological change, was significantly higher in control cells than in MnTMPyP-treated cells. MnTMPyP administration for 14 days at a daily dosage of 5 mg/kg provided substantial protection against killing and oxidative damage in mice exposed to whole-body irradiation. These data indicate that MnTMPyP may have great application potential as a new class of in vivo, non-sulfur-containing radiation protectors.     

Effects of 50 Hz magnetic field on cell cycle kinetics and the colony forming ability of budding yeast exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

To investigate the effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposed budding yeast, haploid yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cells of the strain SEy2101a were exposed to 50 Hz sine wave magnetic field (MF) of 120 microT with simultaneous exposure to UV radiation. Most of the UV energy was in the UVB range (280-320 nm). The biologically weighted (CIE action spectrum) dose level for the UV radiation was 175 J/m2. We examined whether 50 Hz MF affected the ability of UV irradiated yeast cells to form colonies (Colony Forming Units, CFUs). In addition, the effect of coexposure on cell cycle kinetics was investigated. Although the significant effect of MF on the cell cycle phases of UV exposed yeast cells was seen only at one time point, the overall results showed that MF exposure may influence the cell cycle kinetics at the first cycle after UV irradiation. The effect of our particular MF exposure on the colony forming ability of the UV irradiated yeast cells was statistically significant 420 min after UV irradiation. Moreover, at 240, 360, and 420 min after UV irradiation, there were fewer CFUs in every experiment in (UV+MF) exposed populations than in only UV exposed yeast populations. These results could indicate that MF exposure in conjunction with UV may have some effects on yeast cell survival or growth.     

The evaluation of protective effect of lycopene against genotoxic influence of X-irradiation in human blood lymphocytes

Many studies suggest that exogenous antioxidants may protect cells against DNA damage caused with ionizing radiation. One of the most powerful antioxidants is lycopene (LYC), a carotenoid derived from tomatoes. The aim of this study was to investigate, using the comet assay, whether LYC can act as protectors/modifiers and prevent DNA damage induced in human blood lymphocytes, as well as to mitigate the effects of radiation exposure. In this project, LYC, dissolved in DMSO at a concentration of 10, 20 or 40 μM/ml of cell suspension, was added to the isolated lymphocytes from human blood at appropriate intervals before or after the X-irradiation at doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 Gy. Cell viability in all groups was maintained at above 70%. The results showed the decrease of DNA damage in cells treated with various concentrations of LYC directly and 1 h before exposure to X-rays compared to the control group exposed to irradiation alone. Contrary results were observed in cells exposed to LYC immediately after exposure to ionizing radiation. The studies confirmed the protective effect of LYC against DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation, but after irradiation the carotenoid did not stimulate of DNA repair and cannot act as modifier. However, supplementation with LYC, especially at lower doses, may be useful in protection from radiation-induced oxidative damage.     

A conserved Asn in TM7 of the thyrotropin receptor is a common requirement for activation by both mutations and its natural agonist

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in certain types of cancer cells including acute promyelocytic leukemia, prostate and ovarian carcinomas, but its effect on response of tumor cells to ionizing radiation has never been explored before. Here we demonstrate that As2O3 can sensitize human cervical cancer cells to ionizing radiation both in vitro and in vivo. As2O3 in combination with ionizing radiation have a synergistic effect in decreasing clonogenic survival and in the regression of established human cervical tumor xenografts. Pretreatment of the cells with As2O3 also synergistically enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis of the cells by combined treatment of As2O3 and radiation was associated with reactive oxygen species generation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, resulting in the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The combined treatment also resulted in an increased G2/M cell cycle distribution at the concentration of As2O3 which did not alter cell cycle when applied alone. These results indicate that As2O3 can synergistically enhance radiosensitivity of human cervix carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a potential clinical applicability of combination treatment of As2O3 and ionizing radiation in cancer therapies.     

Combination Effect of Epigenetic Regulation and Ionizing Radiation in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation (IR) induces, not only, activation of multiple signaling pathways that play critical roles in cell fate determination, but also alteration of molecular pathways involved in cell death or survival. Recently, DNA methylation has been established as a critical epigenetic process involved in the regulation of gene expression in cancer cells, suggesting that DNA methylation inhibition may be an effective cancer treatment strategy. Because alterations of gene expression by DNA methylation have been considered to influence radioresponsiveness, we investigated the effect of a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), on radiosensitivity. In addition, we investigated the underlying cellular mechanisms of combination treatments of ionizing irradiation (IR) and 5-aza-dC in human colon cancer cells. Colon cancer cell lines were initially tested for radiation sensitivity by IR in vitro and were treated with two different doses of 5-aza-dC. Survival of these cell lines was measured using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and clonogenic assays. The effects of 5-aza-dC along with irradiation on cell growth, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related gene expression were examined. Combination irradiation treatment with 5-aza-dC significantly decreased growth activity compared with irradiation treatment alone or with 5-aza-dC treatment alone. The percentage of HCT116 cells in the sub-G1 phase and their apoptotic rate was increased when cells were treated with irradiation in combination with 5-aza-dC compared with either treatment alone. These observations were strongly supported by increased caspase activity, increased comet tails using comet assays, and increased protein levels of apoptosis-associated molecules (caspase 3/9, cleaved PARP). Our data demonstrated that 5-aza-dC enhanced radiosensitivity in colon cancer cells, and the combination effects of 5-aza-dC with radiation showed greater cellular effects than that of single treatment, suggesting that the combination of 5-aza-dC and radiation has the potential to become a clinical strategy for the treatment of cancer.     

Cell cycle delay in murine pre-osteoblasts is more pronounced after exposure to high-LET compared to low-LET radiation

Space radiation contains a complex mixture of particles comprised primarily of protons and high-energy heavy ions. Radiation risk is considered one of the major health risks for astronauts who embark on both orbital and interplanetary space missions. Ionizing radiation dose-dependently kills cells, damages genetic material, and disturbs cell differentiation and function. The immediate response to ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage is stimulation of DNA repair machinery and activation of cell cycle regulatory checkpoints. To date, little is known about cell cycle regulation after exposure to space-relevant radiation, especially regarding bone-forming osteoblasts. Here, we assessed cell cycle regulation in the osteoblastic cell line OCT-1 after exposure to various types of space-relevant radiation. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of ionizing radiation was investigated regarding the biological endpoint of cellular survival ability. Cell cycle progression was examined following radiation exposure resulting in different RBE values calculated for a cellular survival level of 1 %. Our findings indicate that radiation with a linear energy transfer (LET) of 150 keV/μm was most effective in inducing reproductive cell killing by causing cell cycle arrest. Expression analyses indicated that cells exposed to ionizing radiation exhibited significantly up-regulated p21(CDKN1A) gene expression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that cell cycle regulation is more sensitive to high-LET radiation than cell survival, which is not solely regulated through elevated CDKN1A expression.     

Regulation of ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis by a manganese porphyrin complex

Ionizing radiation induces the production of reactive oxygen species, which play an important causative role in apoptotic cell death. Therefore, compounds that scavenge reactive oxygen species may confer regulatory effects on apoptosis. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics have been shown to be protective against cell injury caused by reactive oxygen species. We investigated the effects of the manganese (III) tetrakis(N-methyl-2-pyridyl)porphyrin (MnTMPyP), a cell-permeable SOD mimetic, on ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis. Upon exposure to 2 Gy of gamma-irradiation, there was a distinct difference between the control cells and the cells pre-treated with 5 microM MnTMPyP for 2 h with regard to apoptotic parameters, cellular redox status, mitochondria function, and oxidative damage to cells. MnTMPyP effectively suppressed morphological evidence of apoptosis and DNA fragmentation in U937 cells exposed to ionizing radiation. The [GSSG]/[GSH+GSSG] ratio and the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species were higher and the [NADPH]/[NADP(+)+NADPH] ratio was lower in control cells compared to MnTMPyP-treated cells. The ionizing radiation-induced mitochondrial damage reflected by the altered mitochondrial permeability transition, the increase in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and the reduction of ATP production were significantly higher in control cells compared to MnTMPyP-treated cells. MnTMPyP pre-treated cells showed significant inhibition of apoptotic features such as activation of caspase-3, up-regulation of Bax and p53, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 compared to control cells upon exposure to ionizing radiation. This study indicates that MnTMPyP may play an important role in regulating the apoptosis induced by ionizing radiation presumably through scavenging of reactive oxygen species.