title: Intercellular contact-dependent survival of human A549, NCI-H596 and NCI-H520 non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.
abstract: In the present study, we examined the relationship between cell phenotype and cell survival of three human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines (A549, NCI-H596 and NCI-H520). Cells in exponential growth at various densities were incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C in a 5% CO2 humidified atmosphere and then exposed to UV radiation for 1 min (256 nm, 40 W, source-to-target distance 100 cm). After two days the surviving cells were quantified by sulforhodamine beta staining and DNA fragmentation assay. The differences in UV sensitivity at 60 x 10(3) cells/cm2 among the cell lines were not related to the proliferative state of the cells but to the extent of intercellular contact. In contrast to A549 and NCI-H596, irradiated NCI-H520 cells presented lower DNA fragmentation and an aggregated cell culture phenotype even prior to confluence, suggesting that a contact-effect mechanism provides further protection against UV radiation.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas RS, Brasil. jcfm@vortex.ufrgs.br
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartsmann
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays