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Bystander responses induced by low LET radiation

Oncogene volume 22, pages 7043–7049 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Radiation-induced bystander responses are observed when cells respond to their neighbours being irradiated. Considerable evidence is now available regarding the importance of these responses in cell and tissue models. Most studies have utilized two approaches where either a media-transferable factor has been assessed or cells have been exposed to low fluences of charged particles, where only a few percent are exposed. The development of microbeams has allowed nontargeted responses such as bystander effects to be more carefully analysed. As well as charged particle microbeams, X-ray microprobes have been developed, and several groups are also developing electron microbeams. Using the Gray Cancer Institute soft X-ray microprobe, it has been possible to follow the response of individual cells to targeted low doses of carbon-characteristic soft X-rays. Studies in human fibroblasts have shown evidence of a significant radiation quality-dependent bystander effect, measured as chromosomal damage in the form of micronuclei which is radiation quality dependent. Other studies show that even under conditions when only a single cell is targeted with soft X-rays, significant bystander-mediated cell killing is observed. The observation of bystander responses with low LET radiation suggests that these may be important in understanding radiation risk from background levels of radiation, where cells observe only single electron track traversals. Also, the indirect evidence for these responses in vivo indicates that they may have a role to play in current radiotherapy approaches and future novel strategies involving modulating nontargeted responses.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our colleagues, Drs Giuseppe Schettino, Heidi Newman and Oleg Belyakov, who have undertaken our experimental studies on bystander responses, and the input of Professor Boris Vojnovic and his team in the development of our microbeam sources. They acknowledge Cancer Research UK (C1513/A2676), the European Commission (FIGH-CT1999-00003 FIGH-CT1999-00012), the UK Department of Health (RRX92) and the US Department of Energy (DE-FG02-02ER63305, DE-FG02-01ER63236, DE-FG07-99ER62877) for supporting their studies on radiation-induced bystander responses.

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  1. Cell & Molecular Biophysics Group, Gray Cancer Institute, PO Box 100, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex, UK

    Kevin M Prise, Melvyn Folkard & Barry D Michael

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Correspondence to Kevin M Prise.

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Prise, K., Folkard, M. & Michael, B. Bystander responses induced by low LET radiation. Oncogene 22, 7043–7049 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1206991

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