Radiation induced apoptosis and initial DNA damage are inversely related in locally advanced breast cancer patients (original) (raw)

Combined low initial DNA damage and high radiation-induced apoptosis confers clinical resistance to long-term toxicity in breast cancer patients treated with high-dose radiotherapy

Radiation Oncology, 2011

Background Either higher levels of initial DNA damage or lower levels of radiation-induced apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been associated to increased risk for develop late radiation-induced toxicity. It has been recently published that these two predictive tests are inversely related. The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined role of both tests in relation to clinical radiation-induced toxicity in a set of breast cancer patients treated with high dose hyperfractionated radical radiotherapy. Methods Peripheral blood lymphocytes were taken from 26 consecutive patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma treated with high-dose hyperfractioned radical radiotherapy. Acute and late cutaneous and subcutaneous toxicity was evaluated using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group morbidity scoring schema. The mean follow-up of survivors (n = 13) was 197.23 months. Radiosensitivity of lymphocytes was quantified as the initial number of DNA double-strand breaks induced per Gy and per DNA unit (200 Mbp). Radiation-induced apoptosis (RIA) at 1, 2 and 8 Gy was measured by flow cytometry using annexin V/propidium iodide. Results Mean DSB/Gy/DNA unit obtained was 1.70 ± 0.83 (range 0.63-4.08; median, 1.46). Radiation-induced apoptosis increased with radiation dose (median 12.36, 17.79 and 24.83 for 1, 2, and 8 Gy respectively). We observed that those "expected resistant patients" (DSB values lower than 1.78 DSB/Gy per 200 Mbp and RIA values over 9.58, 14.40 or 24.83 for 1, 2 and 8 Gy respectively) were at low risk of suffer severe subcutaneous late toxicity (HR 0.223, 95%CI 0.073-0.678, P = 0.008; HR 0.206, 95%CI 0.063-0.677, P = 0.009; HR 0.239, 95%CI 0.062-0.929, P = 0.039, for RIA at 1, 2 and 8 Gy respectively) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions A radiation-resistant profile is proposed, where those patients who presented lower levels of initial DNA damage and higher levels of radiation induced apoptosis were at low risk of suffer severe subcutaneous late toxicity after clinical treatment at high radiation doses in our series. However, due to the small sample size, other prospective studies with higher number of patients are needed to validate these results.

Radiation-induced cytotoxicity, DNA damage and DNA repair: Implications for cell survival theory

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 1990

The radiosensitivities and the kinetics for removal of radiationinduced DNA damage were compared for proliferative (P) and quiescent (Q) cells of the lines 66 and 67 derived from a mouse mammary adenocarcinoma. As determined from cell survival assays, the 66 and 67 Q cells were more radiosensitive than their 66 and 67 P counterparts. The rank order of their radiosensitivity was: 67 Q > 66 Q _> 67 P > 66 P. Induction of radiation damage in the DNA of these cells, as measured by the alkaline elution technique, was identical for 66 and 67 P and Q cells. The repair of this DNA damage was biphasic for 66 and 67 P and Q cells. The half-times for the fast and slow repair phases in 66 Q cells were identical to those previously measured in 67 Q cells. The half-times of the fast and slow repair phases in 66 P cells were also identical to those previously measured in 67 P cells. However, the half-times for the fast and slow repair phases in 66 and 67 Q cells were longer than those measured in their 66 and 67 P counterparts. The 66 cell data are consistent with our previously published hypothesis that Q cells are more radiosensitive than their corresponding P cells because they repair their radiation-induced DNA damage slower. However, our results are not consistent with hypotheses that attempt to explain the radiosensitivity differences between lines 66 and 67 solely on the basis of measurable induction and repair of DNA damage.

Biological dosimetry: the potential use of radiation-induced apoptosis in human T-lymphocytes

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 1997

An assay for biological dosimetry based on the induction of apoptosis in human T-lymphocytes is described. Radiation-induced apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometric identification of cells displaying apoptosis-associated DNA condensation. CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes were analysed. They were recognized on the basis of their cell-surface antigens. Four parameters were measured for both cell types: cell size, granularity, antigen immunofluorescence and DNA content. Apoptosis was quantified as the fraction of CD4-, or CD8-positive cells with a characteristic reduction of cell size and DNA content. At doses below 1 Gy, levels of radiation-induced apoptosis increased for up to 5 days after irradiation. Optimal dose discrimination was observed 4 days after irradiation, at which time the dose-response curves were linear, with a slope of 8% ± 0.5% per 0.1 Gy. In controlled, dose-response experiments the lowest dose level at which the radiationinduced apoptosis frequency was still significantly above control was 0.05 Gy. After 5 days post-irradiation incubation, intra-and interdonor variations were measured and found to be similar; thus, apoptotic levels depend more on the dose than on the donor. The results demonstrate the potential of this assay as a biological dosimeter.

DNA repair and apoptosis: Roles in radiotherapy-related acute reactions in breast cancer patients

Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2018

Normal tissue reactions are therapy limiting factor for the effectiveness of the radiotherapy in cancer patients. DNA repair and apoptosis are estimated to be critical players of adverse effects in response to radiotherapy. Our aim was to define the association of DNA repair (ERCC1 and XPC) and apoptotic (BCL2, CASP3 and NFKB1) gene expression, DNA damage levels, apoptosis changes and DNA repair gene variations with the risk of acute side effects in breast cancer patients. The study included 100 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer; an experimental case group (n=50) with acute side effects and the control group (n=50) without side effects. Gene expression was analyzed by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Micronucleus (MN) and 8-hydroxy-2"²-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) assays were performed to compare the DNA damage levels. Apoptosis was examined by TDT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. ERCC1 rs3212986 and XPC rs3731055...

Initial radiation-induced DNA damage in human tumour cell lines: a correlation with intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity

British Journal of Cancer, 1994

The role of the initial DNA double-strand breaks (dsb) as a determinant of cellular radiosensitivity was studied in human breast and bladder cancer cell lines. Cell survival was measured by monolayer colony-forming assay as appropriate and differences in radiosensitivity were seen (a-values ranged from 0.12 to 0.54). After pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) the initial slopes of dose-response curves were biphasic with a flattening of the curves above 30 Gy. When the frequency of DNA dsb induction was assessed using a mathematical model based on the DNA fragment size distribution into the gel lane, we found a statistically significant relationship between the number of DNA dsb induced and the corresponding a-values and fraction surviving after 2Gy (P = 0.0049 and P = 0.0031 respectively). These results support the view that initial damage is a major determinant of cell radiosensitivity.

Cell Type-Specific Patterns in the Accumulation of DNA Damage Following Multifractional Radiation Exposure

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Predicting the risk of second malignant neoplasms is complicated by uncertainties regarding the shape of the dose–response relationship at high doses. Limited understanding of the competitive relationship between cell killing and the accumulation of DNA lesions at high doses, as well as the effects of other modulatory factors unique to radiation exposure during radiotherapy, such as dose heterogeneity across normal tissue and dose fractionation, contribute to these uncertainties. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of fractionated irradiations on two cell systems, focusing on the endpoints relevant for cancer induction. To simulate the heterogeneous dose distribution across normal tissue during radiotherapy, exponentially growing VH10 fibroblasts and AHH-1 lymphoblasts were irradiated with 9 and 12 fractions (VH10) and 10 fractions (AHH-1) at 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 Gy per fraction. The effects on cell growth, cell survival, radiosensitivity and the accumulation of residual D...

Altered apoptotic profiles in irradiated patients with increased toxicity

International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 1998

Purpose: A retrospective study of radiation-induced apoptosis in CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes, from 12 cancer patients who displayed enhanced toxicity to radiation therapy and 9 ataxia telangiectasia patients, was performed to test for altered response compared to healthy blood-donors and normal cancer patients. Methods and Materials: Three milliliters of heparinized blood from each donor was sent via express post to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for subsequent examination. The blood was diluted 1:10 in RPMI medium, irradiated with 0-, 2-, or 9-Gy X-rays, and incubated for 48 h. CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes were then labeled using FITC-conjugated antibodies, erythrocytes were lysed, and the DNA stained with propidium iodide. Subsequently, cells were analyzed using a Becton Dickinson FACScan flow cytometer. Radiation-induced apoptosis was recognized in leukocytes as reduced DNA content attributed to apoptosis-associated changes in chromatin structure. Apoptosis was confirmed by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and by the use of commercially available apoptosis detection kits (in situ nick translation and Annexin V). Data from hypersensitive individuals were compared to a standard database of 105 healthy blood-donors, and a database of 48 cancer patient blood donors who displayed normal toxicity to radiation therapy. To integrate radiosensitivity results from CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes after 2 and 9 Gy, z-score analyses were performed. Results: A cohort of 12 hypersensitive patients was evaluated; 8 showed enhanced early toxicity, 3 showed enhanced late toxicity, and 1 showed both. The cohort displayed less radiation-induced apoptosis (؊1.8 ) than average age-matched donors. A cohort of 9 ataxia telangiectasia homozygotes displayed even less apoptosis (؊3.6 ). Conclusion: The leukocyte apoptosis assay appears to be a useful predictor of individuals likely to display increased toxicity to radiation therapy; however, validation of this requires a prospective study.

DNA damage and prediction of radiation response in lymphocytes and epidermal skin human cells

International Journal of Cancer, 1998

The success of radiotherapy in eradicating tumours depends on the total radiation dose, but what limits this dose is the tolerance of the normal tissues within the treatment volume. Studies involving fibroblast survival have demonstrated the theoretical feasibility of a predictive assay of radiation sensitivity, but such an assay is still far from clinical application. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), we have quantified the initial ''apparent'' number of DNA doublestrand breaks (dsb) induced by the radiation as an alternative measure of sensitivity in 2 different normal cell types from the same patients, epidermal skin cells and lymphocytes. We found significant inter-individual variation in the measured dsb (1-5 dsb/Gy/DNA unit). We also found a linear correlation between molecular damage in lymphocytes and skin samples from the same patient (slope ‫؍‬ 0.83; r ‫؍‬ 0.694; p ‫؍‬ 0.0001). These results suggest that the initial number of dsb could be used as an indicator of the in vivo response to radiation. Int.

Apoptosis after gamma irradiation. Is it an important cell death modality?

British Journal of Cancer, 1998

Apoptosis and necrosis are two different forms of cell death that can be induced by cytotoxic stress, such as ionizing radiation. We have studied the importance of apoptotic death induced after treatment with 6 Gy of y-irradiation in a panel of eight human tumour cell lines of different radiosensiteis. Three different techniques based on the detection of DNA fragmentation have been used, a qualitative one-DNA ladder fornationand two quanttative approachesin situ tailing and comet assay. No statistically significant relationship between the two quantitative assays was found (r = 0.327, P = 0.159) so these methods seem to show different aspects of the process of cell death. The presence of the DNA ladder related well to the end-labelling method in that the least amount of end labelling was seen in samples in which necrotic degradation rather than apoptotic ladders were seen. However, as the results obtained by the cornet assay are not in agreement with the DNA ladder experinents, we suggest that the distinction between the degraded DNA produced by apoptosis and necrosis may be difficult by this technique. Finally, athugh apoptosis has been proposed to be depeKdent on p53 functionality, and this may explain differences in cellular radiosensitivity, no statistically significant relationship was found between these parameters and apoptosis in the eight cell lines studied.