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We examined, by the fluorescent halo assay, alterations in the nucleoid structure (structure formed from cells under mild lysis conditions: in non-ionic detergent Triton X-100, 0.0005% and 1.5 mol/l NaCl) of L5178Y (LY) cell sublines which had been untreated, treated with reducing/chelating agents (beta-mercaptoethanol or sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC(Na))) or X-irradiated. These sublines differ in radiation sensitivity: LY-R is more resistant (D0 = 1.1 Gy) and LY-S more sensitive (D0 = 0.5 Gy). Halo diameters were measured after cell lysis in the presence of propidium iodide (PI) (0.5 to 50 micrograms/ml) at pH 6.9 or 9. The maximal DNA unwinding in PI was obtained at 7.5 micrograms/ml PI, at both pH 6.9 and 9 in both sublines; the maximal halo diameter was larger in LY-S than in LY-R cells. In nucleoids from both sublines DNA could be rewound at higher (10-50 micrograms/ml) PI concentrations both at pH 6.9 and 9. This ability was impaired by mercaptoethanol or DDTC(Na) (at pH 9) or by X-irradiation, indicating damage and/or alteration in the DNA superhelical structure. The susceptibility to reducing/chelating agents was greater in LY-S than in LY-R nucleoids, pointing to differences in chromatin structure between these sublines. The amount of X-ray-inflicted damage was higher, when measured at pH 9 than at pH 6.9 and was about twice larger in LY-S than in LY-R nucleoids, when the cells were irradiated with the same X-ray dose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A new in vitro method for determining the clonogenicity of mammalian cells in culture is described. The method is based on packaging clonogens into agglomerates of non-proliferating, but metabolically active, HeLa cells. These agglomerates, termed hybrid spheroids, provide an in vivo-like environment for entrapped test cells, offering a realistic system for prospective tumor control studies. Clonogenicity is determined by varying the number of test cells per hybrid spheroid so that some, but not all, spheroids give rise to macrocolonies. From the fraction of non-colony forming spheroids, the average number of clonogens per spheroid can be calculated, and the survival of irradiated test cells determined. In this fashion survival curves were obtained for HeLa, B-16 and HEp3 cells which corresponded to survival curves obtained in the conventional manner. The clonogenicity of cells, derived from a human maxillary melanoma surgical specimen was also determined by the hybrid spheroid method. With this method, plating efficiency increased in those cells which normally plate poorly, such as tumor cells, thus enabling survival measurements when this is not practical using conventional methods.

Cells from the L5178Y murine lymphoma subline LY-R are twice as resistant to killing by ionizing radiation than the subline LY-S. In contrast, LY-R cells are more sensitive to killing by H2O2, the effect being more pronounced at 37 degrees C than 0 degree C. Initial DNA damage after H2O2 treatment (both temperatures, 5 min) has been estimated by the 'comet' assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis) and fluorescent halo technique. According to both methods, the initial damage is significantly higher in LY-R cells, particularly that inflicted at 0 degree C. Differences between DNA unwinding and rewinding abilities at pH 9 and 6.9 (estimated by the fluorescent halo technique) point to a considerable difference in pH-9-labile damage between the sublines, as observed previously for x-irradiated cells (Kapiszewska et al. 1992). In contrast to findings with x-irradiated cells, however, after H2O2 treatment this damage is more extensive in LY-R cells than in LY-S cells. Thus, the initial pH-9-labile damage corresponds to the pattern of sensitivity to H2O2 and x-rays. We suggest that this is caused by different proportions of cuprous and ferric ions found in the nuclei of LY sublines and by the different ability of these ions to react with H2O2 and water radiolysis products. The copper/iron ratio in the nucleus is 1.31 in LY-R cells and 4.84 in LY-S cells.

The Stationary or Plateau-Phase of commonly used rodent cell lines like the V79 are often assumed to be quiescent (non-mitotic). An analysis of cell turnover in V79 plateau-phase cultures through BrUdR-incorporation combined with FUdR-block and light exposure (S-phase cytocide) revealed such cultures to be in a state of kinetic equilibrium. Even when the state of maximal permissible density was acquired, at least 50% of the population of cells were cycling within the time for one population doubling. Attempts at holding the cells from cycling (through nutrient-depletion and serum-privation) were unsuccessful, although the turnover-rate was reduced. Our assays for X-irradiated clonogenic survivors after attempted holding combined with delayed plating (DP) showed differences in the survival curves for exponentially growing and confluent cultures. Elimination of cycling cells by S-phase cytocide removed these differences. Since a significant fraction of plateau-phase cells are not mitotically quiescent (Q), one must eliminate the proliferating (P) fraction if one wishes to examine the PLDR of the Q cells. For V79 cells, removal of the P cells eliminates the higher survival (usually interpreted as Q cell PLDR) of plateau-phase cells.

The nature of the post-irradiation lesions and processes leading to cellular reproductive death or survival were investigated in mouse lymphoblastic leukemia L5178Y-S (LY-S) cells. Post-(x-)irradiation incubation at 25 degrees C protects LY-S cells against the fixation of biologically expressed damage which takes place at 37 degrees C. An optimal condition for the repair of damage, assayed in split-dose experiments as split-dose recovery (SDR), is 1 h at 37 degrees C followed by 4 h holding at 25 degrees C prior to the second half of a split dose, or 5 h holding at 25 degrees C without a 37 degrees C incubation during the interval between doses. Longer incubations at 37 degrees C resulted in progressively decreased survivals. Postirradiation inhibition of DNA synthesis at 37 degrees C was observed only during the first 30 min; thereafter, 3H-dThdR incorporation was higher than in unirradiated controls. The excess synthesis effect was removed by shifting irradiated cells to 25 degrees C holding. The inhibition observed at 25 degrees C was reversed by shifting to 37 degrees C. Thus the degree of postirradiation DNA synthesis is inversely related to SDR. DNA filter elution shows complete strand break repair by 20 min at 37 degrees C, and by 3 h at 25 degrees C; DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair plateaus at 80% (37 degrees C) and 60% (25 degrees C) after 90 min. An inverse correlation was found between total strand break repair rate, as assayed by filter elution methods, and cell survival. This work was supported by a grant from The Mathers Charitable Foundation.