title: The increase in radioresistance of Chinese hamster cells cultured as spheroids is correlated to changes in nuclear morphology.
abstract: Chinese hamster V79 cells grown as spheroids in roller culture are more radioresistant than those grown as monolayers. The supercoiled structure of chromatin, as salt-extracted nucleoids, has been examined using flow cytometry. Irradiated viable cells from spheroid culture contain restraints to supercoil relaxation that are absent in monolayer cells. Further analysis of the chromatin organization from each growth form shows that the radioresistant spheroid cells contain a DNA-protein matrix that is more resistant to detergent-induced degradation. The increase in structural integrity may be due to the retention of a 55-60 kDa protein that is apparent in the nucleoids of spheroid, but not monolayer cells. The increase in structural integrity of the spheroid cells may explain their greater radioresistance by providing a more stable platform for high-fidelity DNA damage repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical School, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Beaney
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Grdina
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D002843:Chromatin / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D006224:Cricetinae; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005720:Gamma Rays; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011836:Radiation Tolerance
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D004278:DNA, Superhelical