title: Gadolinium enhances the sensitivity of SW-1573 cells for thermal neutron irradiation.
abstract: Gadolinium neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) is an experimental cancer treatment based on the physical principal that neutron capture by gadolinium-157 ensures the release of focal high-dose radiation, such as gamma-rays and electrons. Survival and induction of chromosomal aberrations of human SW-1573 cells was studied after thermal neutron irradiation without and with gadolinium. After neutron irradiation with Gd-DTPA, an alpha-enhancement factor of 2.3 was obtained compared to thermal neutron irradiation alone. Gd-DTPA could not radioenhance the cells for gamma-ray irradiation. Induction of colour junctions and chromosome fragments by thermal neutron irradiation and Gd-NCT were studied using PCC-FISH. Correlations (r2-value) between survival and chromosome aberrations ranged from 0.81 to 0.94 for colour junctions and from 0.78 to 0.98 for chromosome fragments of chromosomes 18 and 2 respectively. Thermal neutron irradiation with or without gadolinium induced more chromosome aberrations than gamma-ray irradiation. After correction for chromosome length it appeared that both chromosomes were equally sensitive to radiation. It is concluded that Gd-NCT at a non-toxic concentration of gadolinium is effective in inducing cell death and chromosome aberrations in in vitro cell cultures.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Laboratory of Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Department of Radiotherapy, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. N.A.Franken@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: N A P
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Franken
authors.forename: J W J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bergs
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: R R N
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Kuperus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stecher-Rasmussen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haveman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Bree
authors.forename: L J A
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stalpers
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000494:pharmacology; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007554:Isotopes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA