Neutron irradiation of human melanoma cells

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Date
1989
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Alan R. Liss, Inc
Abstract
The biological characteristics and in vitro radiosensitivity of melanoma cells to thermal neutrons were investigated as a guide to the effectiveness of boron neutron capture therapy. Plateau phase cultures of three human malignant melanoma-established cell lines were examined for cell density at confluence, doubling time, cell cycle parameters, chromosome constitution, and melanin content. Cell survival dose-response curves, for cells preincubated in the presence or absence of p-boronophenylalanine. HCl (10B1-BPA), were measured over the dose range 0.6-8.0 Gy (N + gamma). The neutron fluence rate was 2.6 x 10(9) n/cm2/s and the total dose rate 3.7 Gy/h (31% gamma). Considerable differences were observed in the morphology and cellular properties of the cell lines. Two cell lines (96E and 96L) were amelanotic, and one was melanotic (418). An enhanced killing for neutron irradiation was found only for the melanotic cells after 20 h preincubation with 10 micrograms/ml 10B1-BPA. In view of the doubling times of the cell lines of about 23 h (96E and 96L) or of 36 h (418), it seems likely that an increased boron uptake, and hence increased radiosensitivity, might result if the preincubation period with 10B1-BPA is extended to several hours longer than the respective cell cycle times. © Alan R. Liss Inc.
Description
Keywords
Amino acids, Animal cells, Animals, Aromatics, Boron compounds, Cell cycle, Dose-response relationships, Melanomas, Neutron capture therapy, Phenylalanine, Radiosensitivity, Tumor cells, Radiotherapy
Citation
Brown, K., Mountford, M. H., Allen, B. J., Mishima, Y., Ichihashi, M., & Parsons, P. (1989). Neutron irradiation of human melanoma cells. Paper prsented to the 2nd Japan-Australia International Workshop on Thermal Neutron Capture Therapy for Malignant Melanoma, Kobe, September 23-26, 1987. In Mishima, Y. (ed.). Melanoma neutron capture therapy : proceedings of 2nd Japan-Australia International Workshop on Thermal Neutron Capture Therapy for Malignant Melanoma, Kobe, September 23-26, 1987, (pp. 319-324). New York : Alan R. Liss.