The severity of alpha-particle-induced DNA damage is revealed by exposure to cell-free extracts
- Medical Research Council, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom)
The rejoining of single-strand breaks induced by {alpha}-particle and {gamma} irradiation in plasmid DNA under two scavenging conditions has been compared. At the two scavenger conditions has been compared. At the two scavenger capacities used of 1.5 {times} 10{sup 7} and 3 {times} 10{sup 8}s{sup {minus}1} using Tris-HCl as the scavenger, the ratio of single- to double-strand breaks for {alpha} particles is fivefold less than the corresponding ratios for {gamma} irradiation. The repair of such radiation-induced single-strand breaks has been examined using a cell-free system derived from human whole-cell extracts. We show that the rejoining of single-strand breaks for both {alpha}-particle- and {gamma}-irradiated plasmid is dependent upon the scavenging capacity and that the efficiency of rejoining of {alpha}-particle-induced single-strand breaks is significantly less than that observed for {gamma}-ray-induced breaks. In addition, for DNA that had been irradiated under conditions that mimic the cellular environment with respect to the radical scavenging capacity, 50 of {alpha}-particle-induced single-strand breaks are converted to double-strand breaks, in contrast with only {approximately}12% conversion of {gamma}-ray-induced single-strand breaks, indicating that the initial damage caused by {alpha} particles is more severe. These studies provide experimental evidence for increased clustering of damage which may have important implications for the induction of cancer by low-level {alpha}-particle sources such as domestic radon. 37 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 420451
- Journal Information:
- Radiation Research, Vol. 146, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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