The sharp high dose Bragg peak of a carbon-ion beam helps it to deliver the highest dosage to the malignant cells while leaving the normal cells relatively unharmed. However, the precise range in which it distributes dosages that significantly induce cell death or genotoxicity surrounding its Bragg peak remains unclear. To evaluate biological effects of carbon-ion radiation through entrance to post Bragg peak in a single biological system, CHO and xrs5 cells were cultured in T-175 cell culture flasks and irradiated with 290 MeV/n monoenergetic carbon-ions with initial dosages upon entrance to the flask of 1, 2, or 3 Gy for cell survival assays or 1 Gy for cytokinesis block micronuclei assays. Under all initial dosages, the biological Bragg peak and the highest micronuclei formation was observed at the depth of 14.5 cm. Moreover, as the initial dosage increased the range displaying a significant decrease in survival fraction increased as well ( P < 0 . 0001 ). Intriguingly from 1 Gy to 3 Gy, we observed a significant increase in reappearance of colony formation depth ( P < 0 . 05 ), possibly indicating the nuclear fragmentation lethality potential of the carbon-ion. By means of our single system approach, we can achieve a more comprehensive understanding of biological effects surrounding of carbon-ions Bragg peak.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Cu2+ and Co2+ are metals known to increase DNA damage in the presence of hydrogen peroxide through a Fenton type reaction. We hypothesized that these metals could increase DNA damage following irradiations of increasing LET values as hydrogen peroxide is a product of the radiolysis of water. The reaction mixtures contain either double- or single-stranded DNA in solution with Cu2+ or Co2+ and was irradiated either with X-ray, carbon-ion or iron-ion beams or was treated with hydrogen peroxide or bleomycin at increasing radiation dosages or chemical concentrations. DNA damage was then assessed by gel electrophoresis followed by band intensity analysis. DNA in solution with metals demonstrated the most DNA damage when treated with hydrogen peroxide followed by irradiation with low-LET (X-Ray), high-LET (carbon-ion and iron-ion), respectively, and demonstrated the least damage with treatment of bleomycin. Cu2+ portrayed greater DNA damage than Co2+ following all experimental conditions. The metals effect caused more DNA damage and was observed to be LET dependent for single-strand break formation but inversely dependent for double-strand break formation. These results suggest that Cu2+ is more efficient than Co2+ at inducing both DNA single-strand and double-strand breaks following all irradiations and chemical treatments.