title: Reduction of radiation-induced cell cycle blocks by caffeine does not necessarily lead to increased cell killing.
abstract: The effect of caffeine upon the radiosensitivities of three human tumor lines was examined and correlated with its action upon the radiation-induced S-phase and G2-phase blocks. Caffeine was found to reduce at least partially the S-phase and G2-phase blocks in all the cell lines examined but potentiated cytotoxicity in only one of the three tumor lines. That reductions have been demonstrated to occur in the absence of increased cell killing provides supporting evidence for the hypothesis that reductions may not be causal in those cases when potentiation of radiation-induced cytotoxicity is observed in the presence of caffeine.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Musk
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D002110:Caffeine