All colonies of CHO-K1 cells surviving γ-irradiation contain non-viable cells

This paper addresses production of defective cells within clones arising from irradiated progenitor cells. It aims at answering the question whether lethal mutation result from a generalised effect which lowers the ability of all the progeny to divide successfully or whether it represents a late expressed but unique lethal defect induced by radiation which occurs in some cells only and which causes those cells only to cease dividing. Results obtained from autoradiographic analysis of cells within individual surviving colonies (i.e. containing more than 150 cells) suggests that some cells in all clones are not synthesizing DNA over a 9-h period and that the properties of non-synthesizing cells rises with increasing dose of radiation from less than 3% in controls to 80-85% after a progenitor dose of 12.5 Gy. because of the possibility that cells had longer division times post irradiation, these results were repeated using Ki67 antibody labelling, a technique that identifies cells which are in cycle. Results were similar. This suggests the non-labelled cells were not reproducing. Both techniques were also used to look at the % labelling of morphologically abnormal cells in colonies. Results suggested that up to 35% of these abnormal cells were actively cycling and about 20% were synthesizing DNA. Abnormal cells did not appear in subcultures of survivor progeny suggesting that they may have failed to replate successfully and may contribute to the lethally mutated population. The results are discussed in the context of their significance for survival curve analysis and for radiotherapy and radiation protection results. (author). 32 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs