Wavelength dependence of biological damage induced by UV radiation on bacteria

The biological effects of UV radiation of different wavelengths (UVA, UVB and UVC) were assessed in nine bacterial isolates displaying different UV sensitivities. Biological effects (survival and activity) and molecular markers of oxidative stress [DNA strand breakage (DSB), generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative damage to proteins and lipids, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase] were quantified and statistically analyzed in order to identify the major determinants of cell inactivation under the different spectral regions. Survival and activity followed a clear wavelength dependence, being highest under UVA and lowest under UVC. The generation of ROS, as well as protein and lipid oxidation, followed the same pattern. DNA damage (DSB) showed the inverse trend. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that survival under UVA, UVB and UVC wavelengths was best explained by DSB, oxidative damage to lipids, and intracellular ROS levels, respectively.     

Biophysical mechanism of radiation damage to mammalian cells by X- and gamma-rays

Published information on the reproductive death in mammalian cells irradiated by a wide range of X- and gamma-ray energies has been re-analysed to extract intrinsic efficiencies of damage for the secondary electrons in transient equilibrium. On a log-log plot, a linear dependence on the track average l.e.t. and the average specific primary ionization is found, indicating that either serves as a good quality parameter. The soft X-ray data are consistent with this conclusion. Upon comparison with data for fast heavy ion irradiations, the average specific primary ionization is shown to be applicable independently of radiation type whereas track average l.e.t. is not. Furthermore it is revealed that electrons are most damaging near the end of their range but their efficiency is only about 10-20 per cent of that of fast ions at the same quality, possibly due to the influence of multiple scatter on the electron penetration depth. It is deduced that, for the dose rates involved, the damage by electrons is predominantly by intra-track action and not inter-track action. The results are consistent with the suggestion that optimum damage occurs when the mean free path between ionizations is equivalent to the strand separation in the double-stranded DNA.     

Influence of surface on muscle damage and soreness induced by consecutive drop jumps

This study compared the magnitude of muscle damage induced when consecutive drop jumps (DJs) were performed on sand vs. firm (wood) surfaces from a height of 0.6 m. Eight subjects performed DJs on a sand surface at a depth of 0.2 m (S condition), and 8 other subjects performed DJs on a wood surface (F condition). Each set consisted of 20 DJs with an interval of 10 seconds between jumps. Subjects performed 5 sets of DJs with 2 minutes between sets. Maximal isometric force, muscle soreness, and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity were measured immediately before and immediately after the DJ exercise as well as 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after the DJ exercise. All measures changed significantly (p < 0.05) after exercise for both conditions; however, significantly (p < 0.05) smaller changes in these measures were evident for the S condition than for the F condition. These results show that DJs on a sand surface induce less muscle damage than on a firm surface. Training on sand may improve aerobic capacity or strength with a low risk of muscle damage.     

一氧化氮对增强的UV_B胁迫下螺旋藻生物损伤的减缓作用

为了探讨一氧化氮对增强的UV-B胁迫下螺旋藻生物学特性的影响,通过色素含量、蛋白质含量和生物量3个方面的变化证实了0.5mmol/L的一氧化氮(Nitric oxide,NO)供体硝普钠(Sodium nitroprusside,SNP)对增强UV-B胁迫下的螺旋藻(Spirulina platensis)794细胞生物损伤有明显的减缓作用。实验结果显示,NO能够显著诱导增强的UV-B胁迫下螺旋藻细胞内蛋白质含量、脯氨酸含量的提高,促进正常生长条件下螺旋藻(Spirulina platensis)794细胞内抗氧化物质GSH含量的增多,但外源NO又可以降低增强UV-B胁迫下螺旋藻细胞中GSH含量的增加。说明NO对增强UV-B胁迫下的螺旋藻794细胞有保护作用,可以减轻UV-B胁迫对螺旋藻(S.platensis)细胞引起的生物损伤。首次研究报道了增强UV-B胁迫下NO信号分子对蓝细菌———螺旋藻细胞生物损伤调节能力的影响,为进一步探讨NO信号及其与其它信号分子之间相互作用、相互关联来调节细胞的生理生化过程,以减缓UV-B胁迫下的生物损伤机理奠定了基础。     

Influence of resveratrol on oxidative damage in genomic DNA and apoptosis induced by cisplatin

Cisplatin is a potent chemotherapeutic agent that has gained widespread use against various malignant tumours in a variety of human malignancies. Like other chemotherapeutic agents, cisplatin is genotoxic and apoptogenic in non-tumour cells and the formation of reactive oxygen species appears to be responsible for these toxicities. The anti-genotoxic and anti-apoptotic effects of resveratrol, a polyphenol found in numerous plant species, against cisplatin-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis in vivo were evaluated by use of standard techniques in somatic and germinal cells of mice. Pre-treatment of mice with resveratrol significantly reduced cisplatin-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis and effectively suppressed the apoptotic signalling triggered by cisplatin. The protective effect of resveratrol was found to be stronger at the higher dose, indicating the dose-dependent effect of resveratrol. Cisplatin induced marked biochemical alterations characteristic of oxidative DNA stress. Prior administration of resveratrol before the cisplatin challenge ameliorated these biochemical markers. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for the first time that resveratrol has a protective role in the abatement of cisplatin-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis in somatic and germinal cells of mice. This activity resides, at least in part, in its radical scavenger activity. Therefore, resveratrol can be a promising chemoprotective agent to avert secondary malignancies and abnormal reproductive outcomes in cured cancer patients exposed to cisplatin, without diminishing its anti-neoplastic activity.     

Influence of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis inhibitors on the repair of sublethal and potentially lethal damage in gamma-irradiated mammalian cells

The influence of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis inhibitors on mammalian cell radiosensitivity was investigated. Four different inhibitors were studied: 3-methoxybenzamide, 3-aminobenzamide, 6-aminonicotinamide and nicotinamide. When exponentially growing or plateau phase cells are incubated before irradiation with non-toxic concentrations of these compounds, their radiosensitivity is enhanced except in the case of nicotinamide. The poly(ADP-ribose) inhibitors do not modify the repair of sublethal damage, but totally suppress the repair of potentially lethal damage, as shown by the survival of CHO cells and of a human osteosarcoma cell line.     

Effect of non-volatile scavengers of hydroxyl radicals on thymine radical formation induced by gamma-rays and ultrasound

In order to investigate the mechanism of sonolysis of nucleic acid constituents, the yield of thymine radicals generated by 50 kHz ultrasound in Ar-saturated aqueous solution was compared with that formed by gamma-radiolysis in N2O-saturated solutions in the presence of various non-volatile scavengers, which cannot act in the gas phase of the cavitation bubbles. For comparison of thymine radical yields by sonolysis and gamma radiolysis, the method of spin trapping with 3,5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulphonate (a water-soluble, non-volatile, aromatic nitroso spin trap) combined with ESR was used. The efficiency of OH radical scavenging is expressed by the reciprocal value of C1/2, the scavenger concentration at which the thymine radical yield is decreased by 50 per cent. In gamma radiolysis the scavenging efficiencies of the solutes depend on their rate constants with OH radicals. For sonolysis the C1/2 values were similar to those obtained for gamma radiolysis except for the hydrophobic 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide. These results suggest that thymine radicals induced by ultrasound are produced in the bulk of the solution as well as in the interfacial region.     

Influence of the reinforcement magnitude on omission effects

Reinforcement Omission Effects (ROEs), indicated by higher rate of responses after nonreinforced trials in a partial reinforcement schedule, have been interpreted as behavioral transient facilitation after nonreinforcement induced by primary frustration, and/or behavioral transient inhibition after reinforcement induced by demotivation or temporal control. The size of the ROEs should depend directly on the reinforcement magnitude. The present experiment aimed to clarify the relationship between reinforcement magnitude and the omission effects manipulating the magnitude linked to discriminative stimuli in a partial reinforcement FI schedule. The results showed that response rates were higher after omission than after reinforcement delivery. Besides, response rates were highest immediately after the reinforcement omission of a larger magnitude than of a smaller magnitude. These data are interpreted in terms of ROEs multiple process behavioral facilitation after nonreinforcement, and behavioral transient inhibition after reinforcement.     

The in vivo effects of a culture medium. II. Influence of culture medium administered prior to irradiation on hemopoietic recovery of gamma-irradiated mice.

The culture medium administered to C57Bl/6 mice 18 h and 8 h before a single irradiation (9 Gy) had a radioprotective effect and clearly influenced postirradiation changes in haemopoiesis. Haemopoiesis recovery appeared to be faster in culture medium-pretreated animals than in those irradiated without such pretreatment. By 12-15 days after irradiation, the thymus cortex appeared to be repaired, on day 21 a multiple increase in extramedullary erythropoiesis, myelopoiesis and megakaryocytopoiesis in the red pulp was found and later, on day 28, the lymphopoiesis in the white pulp of spleen was restored. The rate of haemopoiesis proliferation of predominantly myeloid cells which reached a control level on day 28 following irradiation. Consequently, the regenerative processes in blood-forming organs were accompanied by considerable reticulocytosis and complete recovery of neutrophil and platelet counts in the peripheral blood as seen on day 21. Despite a slower rate complete recovery of the total leukocyte count was reached by day 180 after irradiation.     

Measurement of DNA damage induced by irradiation with gamma-rays from a TRIGA Mark II research reactor in human cells using Fast Micromethod.

The Fast Micromethod is a novel quick and convenient microplate assay for determination of DNA single-strand breaks. This method measures the rate of unwinding of cellular DNA upon exposure to alkaline conditions using a fluorescent dye which preferentially binds to double-stranded DNA. Here we applied this method to determine the levels of DNA single-strand breaks in HeLa cells induced by y-irradiation deriving from fission isotopes and activation products at the TRIGA Mark II research reactor in Mainz. An increased strand scission factor (SSF) value, which is indicative for DNA damage, was found at doses of 1 Gy and higher. A similar increase in SSF value, which further increased in a dose-dependent manner, was found in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells after irradiation with 6 MV X-rays from a linear accelerator to give a total exposure of 0.5 to 10 Gy.