Spectral dependencies of killing, mutation, and transformation in mammalian cells and their relevance to hazards caused by solar ultraviolet radiation

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Cancer Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5475544

Suzuki, F; Han, A; Lankas, G R; Utsumi, H; Elkind, M M

Using germicidal lamps and Westinghouse sunlamps with and without filtration, the effectiveness of ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet light in inducing molecular and cellular changes was measured. Cell survival and the induction of resistance to 6-thioguanine or to ouabain were measured with V79 Chinese hamster cells, cell survival and neoplastic transformation were measured with C3H mouse 10 T 1/2 cells, and the induction of pyrimidine dimers containing thymine was measured in both cell lines. The short-wavelength cutoff of the sunlamp emission was shifted from approximately 290 nm (unfiltered) to approximately 300 and approximately 310 nm by appropriate filters. Although it was found that the efficiency with which all end points were induced progressively decreased as the short-wavelength cutoff was shifted to longer wavelengths, the rates of decrease differed appreciably. For example, doses of near-ultraviolet light longer than approximately 300 nm that were effective in mutating or in transforming cells were ineffective in killing them. In respect to pyrimidine dimer induction, several but not all cellular end points were induced by dose ratios of sunlamp light (short-wavelength cutoff, approximately 290 nm) to germicidal lamp light (254 nm) in fairly close accord with the doses required to produce equivalent proportions of dimers. However, for near-ultraviolet light having cutoffs at longer wavelengths, the biological action observed was appreciably greater than what would be predicted from the proportion of dimers induced. From the latter observation, it is inferred that increasing intensities of short-wavelength ultraviolet light, as would be expected from reductions in stratospheric ozone around the earth, would result in smaller increases in biological action, e.g., skin cancer, compared to current levels of action than would be predicted from an action spectrum completely corresponding to that of a pyrimidine dimer induction spectrum in DNA.

• Research Organization: Division of Biological and Medical Research, National Laboratory, Illinois
• OSTI ID: 5475544
• Journal Information: Cancer Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Res.; (United States) Vol. 41:12 Pt 1; ISSN CNREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560121* -- Radiation Effects on Cells-- External Source-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMINES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AZINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES
CARDIOTONICS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
CELL KILLING
DIMERS
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GLYCOSIDES
GUANINE
HAMSTERS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NEAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OUABAIN
PURINES
PYRIMIDINES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RODENTS
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION
STROPHANTHINS
SURVIVAL TIME
THYMINE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
URACILS
VERTEBRATES