The survivors of atomic bomb explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are monitored for health effect within the Life Span Study (LSS). The LSS results represent the most important source of knowledge about cancer effects of ionizing radiation and they form the basis for the radiation protection system. One uncertainty connected to deriving universal risk factors from these results is related to the problem of mixed radiation qualities. The atomic bomb explosions generated a mixed beam of the sparsely ionizing gamma radiation and densely ionizing neutrons and what is not taken into consideration is the problem of a possible interaction of the two radiation types in inducing biological effects. The existence of such interaction would suggest that the application of risk factors derived from the LSS to predict cancer effects after exposure to pure gamma radiation (such as in the Fukushima prefecture) leads to an overestimation of risk.In order to analyze the possible interaction of radiation types a mixed beam exposure facility was constructed where cells can be exposed to sparsely ionizing X-rays and densely ionizing alpha particles. U2OS cells were used, which are stably transfected with a plasmid coding for the DNA repair gene 53BP1 coupled to a gene coding for the green fluorescent protein GFP. Induction and repair of DNA damage which are known to be related to cancer induction were analyzed. The results suggest that alpha particles and X-rays interact, leading to cellular, and possibly cancer effects not predictable based on assuming simple additivity of the individual mixed beam components.

Due to its ability to induce DNA damage in a space and time controlled manner, ionising radiation is a unique tool for studying the mechanisms of DNA repair. The biological effectiveness of ionising radiation is related to the ionisation density which is defined by the linear energy transfer (LET). Alpha particles are characterised by high LET, while X-rays by low LET values. An interesting question is how cells react when exposed to a mixed beam of high and low LET radiation. In an earlier study carried out with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) we could demonstrate that alpha radiation X-rays interact in producing more chromosomal aberrations than expected based on additivity. The aim of the present investigation was to look at the mechanism of the interaction, especially with respect to the question if it is due to an augmented level of initial damage or impaired DNA repair. PBL were exposed to various doses of alpha particles, X-rays and mixed beams. DNA damage and the kinetics of damage repair was quantified by the alkaline comet assay. The levels of phosphorylated, key DNA damage response (DDR) proteins ATM, p53 and DNA-PK were measured by Western blotting and mRNA levels of 6 damage-responsive genes were measured by qPCR. Alpha particles and X-rays interact in inducing DNA damage above the level predicted by assuming additivity and that the repair of damage occurs with a delay. The activation levels of DDR proteins and mRNA levels of the studied genes were highest in cells exposed to mixed beams. The results substantiate the idea that exposure to mixed beams presents a challenge for the cellular DDR system.

Purpose: Low temperature at exposure has been shown to act in a radioprotective manner at the level of cytogenetic damage. It was suggested to be due to an effective transformation of DNA damage to chromosomal damage at low temperature. The purpose of the study was to analyze the kinetics of aberration formation during the first hours after exposing human peripheral blood lymphocytes to ionizing radiation at 0.8 degrees C and 37 degrees C.Materials and methods: To this end, we applied the technique of premature chromosome condensation. In addition, DNA damage response was analyzed by measuring the levels of phosphorylated DNA damage responsive proteins ATM, DNA-PK and p53 and mRNA levels of the radiation-responsive genes BBC3, FDXR, GADD45A, XPC, MDM2 and CDKN1A.Results: A consistently lower frequency of chromosomal breaks was observed in cells exposed at 0.8 degrees C as compared to 37 degrees C already after 30minutes postexposure. This effect was accompanied by elevated levels of phosphorylated ATM and DNA-PK proteins and a reduced immediate level of phosphorylated p53 and of the responsive genes.Conclusions: Low temperature at exposure appears to promote DNA repair leading to reduced transformation of DNA damage to chromosomal aberrations.