Factors of influence on mammalian radiation sensitivity

Blood samples were taken from 105 healthy donors, 12 donors with ataxia teleangiectatica, 48 cancer patients with normal sensitivity to radiation therapy, 12 cancer patients with hypersensitivity to radiation therapy and three individuals with genetic diseases possibly associated with altered radiation sensitivity, two NF patients and one ICF patient. Blood samples were heparinised, diluted in RPMI 1640 medium and incubated for 48 hours. Then the cells were stained with propidium iodide and analysed by means of flow cytometry. Radiation-induced atoptosis was found to depend on donor age and cell type. No significant differences were found between healthy donors and cancer patients with normal radiation sensitivity. The cohorts of radiation sensitive cancer patients and radiation sensitive donors showed a reduced apoptotic response. An asymmetric response of T lymphocytes was found in one ICF donor and in one donor with masked radiation hypersensitivity. Two NF donors showed no anomalous sensitivity to radiation therapy although their lymphocytes showed a reduced aptoptotic response