title: Modification of radiosensitivity and recovery from X ray damage in vitro by retinoic acid.
abstract: We studied the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) combined with X-irradiation on confluent cultures of human breast cancer (MCF-7) and melanoma (C-143) cell lines, as well as in a normal human diploid fibroblast strain (AG 1522). RA in non-cytotoxic concentrations was a potent inhibitor of confluent holding recovery of potentially lethal damage (PLD repair) for all three cell types. A complete inhibition of recovery was observed at lower RA concentrations in the tumor lines than in the fibroblast strain. Exposure to RA prior to and during irradiation resulted in a radiosensitizing effect that was similar in MCF-7 and AG 1522 cells. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the potential value of retinoids as biological response modifiers for the clinical radiotherapy of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Rutz
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D014212:Tretinoin