Radiation effects on adherens contacts in cultured Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells

The cell contacts (junctions) are considered to be sensitive and important targets of ionizing radiation. In this work, the effect of X-irradiation was studied on the localization and relative quantity of two structural proteins of adherent junction, i.e. cadherins and b-catenin, in cultured Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by immunohistochemical and Western blotting procedures. Irradiation was found to induce the rapid redistribution and quantitative loss in these proteins resulting in their separation from the adherens junction sites. As a consequence, the structure and functionality of adherent junctions are also suggested to be affected by ionizing radiation in MDCK cells. Since morphological alteration of cell contact sites is also leading to temporary or permanent disturbances in adherens junction related functions (i.e. paracellular permeability), cell junctions might really be regarded as primary biomembrane target areas for radiation effects. The radiation-induced loss of b-catenin is probably related to the altered Wnt-signaling, too. (author)