The effects of the temporal distribution of dose on oncogenic transformation by neutrons and charged particles of intermediate LET

Radiat Res. 1990 Oct;124(1 Suppl):S62-8.

Abstract

The effects of dose rate and dose fractionation on high-LET radiation-induced oncogenic transformation of C3H 10T1/2 cells were examined. Cells were irradiated with graded doses of 5.9-MeV monoenergetic neutrons administered either in single acute exposures (30 mGy/min) or extended over an 8-h period at low dose rates (from 0.21 to 1 mGy/min). Although cell survival studies showed no difference in effect with a change in radiation delivery rate, enhancement of oncogenic transformation occurred when the dose rate was reduced. When the neutron dose was divided into three fractions over 8 h, the biological effect was intermediate between that for the acute and that for the low-dose-rate exposures. Further irradiations were made using deuterons with an LET of 40 keV/microns. The dose-mean lineal energy was comparable to that measured for the 5.9-MeV monoenergetic neutrons. An inverse dose-rate/fractionation effect for the induction of transformation by high-LET deuterons was observed when the time between each of three fractions for a 0.3-Gy total dose was at least 45 min. No further enhancement was seen for longer dose fractionations, suggesting that very long protracted exposures of high-LET radiation would produce no additional enhancement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / radiation effects
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / radiation effects*
  • Deuterium*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Energy Transfer
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Neutrons*
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Deuterium