Transmission of radiation-induced rearrangements through cell divisions

Transmission of Induced Chromosomal Aberrations through Successive Mitotic Divisions in Human Lymphocytes after In Vitro and In Vivo Radiation

The mechanisms behind the transmission of chromosomal aberrations (CA) remain unclear, despite a large body of work and major technological advances in chromosome identification. We reevaluated the transmission of CA to second- and third-division cells by telomere and centromere (TC) staining followed by M-FISH. We scored CA in lymphocytes of healthy donors after in vitro irradiation and those of cancer patients treated by radiation therapy more than 12 years before. Our data demonstrate, for the first time, that dicentric chromosomes (DCs) decreased by approximately 50% per division. DCs with two centromeres in close proximity were more efficiently transmitted, representing 70% of persistent DCs in ≥M3 cells. Only 1/3 of acentric chromosomes (ACs), ACs with four telomeres, and interstitial ACs, were paired in M2 cells and associated with specific DCs configurations. In lymphocytes of cancer patients, 82% of detected DCs were characterized by these specific configurations. Our findings demonstrate the high stability of DCs with two centromeres in close proximity during cell division. The frequency of telomere deletion increased during cell cycle progression playing an important role in chromosomal instability. These findings could be exploited in the follow-up of exposed populations.

Crosstalk between telomere maintenance and radiation effects: A key player in the process of radiation-induced carcinogenesis

It is well established that ionizing radiation induces chromosomal damage, both following direct radiation exposure and via non-targeted (bystander) effects, activating DNA damage repair pathways, of which the proteins are closely linked to telomeric proteins and telomere maintenance. Long-term propagation of this radiation-induced chromosomal damage during cell proliferation results in chromosomal instability. Many studies have shown the link between radiation exposure and radiation-induced changes in oxidative stress and DNA damage repair in both targeted and non-targeted cells. However, the effect of these factors on telomeres, long established as guardians of the genome, still remains to be clarified. In this review, we will focus on what is known about how telomeres are affected by exposure to low- and high-LET ionizing radiation and during proliferation, and will discuss how telomeres may be a key player in the process of radiation-induced carcinogenesis.

Chromosomal breakage-fusion-bridge events cause genetic intratumor heterogeneity

It has long been known that rearrangements of chromosomes through breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles may cause variability of phenotypic and genetic traits within a cell population. Because intercellular heterogeneity is often found in neoplastic tissues, we investigated the occurrence of BFB events in human solid tumors. Evidence of frequent BFB events was found in malignancies that showed unspecific chromosome aberrations, including ring chromosomes, dicentric chromosomes, and telomeric associations, as well as extensive intratumor heterogeneity in the pattern of structural changes but not in tumors with tumor-specific aberrations and low variability. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that chromosomes participating in anaphase bridge formation were involved in a significantly higher number of structural aberrations than other chromosomes. Tumors with BFB events showed a decreased elimination rate of unstable chromosome aberrations after irradiation compared with normal cells and other tumor cells. This result suggests that a combination of mitotically unstable chromosomes and an elevated tolerance to chromosomal damage leads to constant genomic reorganization in many malignancies, thereby providing a flexible genetic system for clonal evolution and progression.

Biological dosimetry for astronauts: a real challenge

Manned space missions recently increased in number and duration, thus it became important to estimate the biological risks encountered by astronauts. They are exposed to cosmic and galactic rays, a complex mixture of different radiations. In addition to the measurements realized by physical dosimeters, it becomes essential to estimate real biologically effective doses and compare them to physical doses. Biological dosimetry of radiation exposures has been widely performed using cytogenetic analysis of chromosomes. This approach has been used for many years in order to estimate absorbed doses in accidental or chronic overexposures of humans. In addition to conventional techniques (Giemsa or FPG staining, R- or G-banding), faster and accurate means of analysis have been developed (fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH] painting). As results accumulate, it appears that strong interindividual variability exists in the basal level of aberrations. Moreover, some aberrations such as translocations exhibit a high background level. Radiation exposures seem to induce variability between individual responses. Its extent strongly differs with the mode of exposure, the doses delivered, the kind of radiation, and the cytogenetic method used. This paper aims to review the factors that may influence the reliability of cytogenetic dosimetry. The emphasis is on the exposure to high linear energy transfer (LET) particles in space as recent studies demonstrated interindividual variations in doses estimated from aberration analysis after long-term space missions. In addition to the problem of dose estimates, the heterogeneity of cosmic radiation raises questions relating to the real numbers of damaged cells in an individual, and potential long-term risks. Actually, densely ionizing particles are extremely potent to induce late chromosomal instability, and again, interindividual variability exists in the expression of damage.

Cytogenetic study of eight new cases of radiation-induced solid tumors

Radiation-induced tumors were selected according to the criteria defined by Cahan (1948) for sarcomas. Cell cultures and/or xenografts in nude mice were performed with biopsies obtained from second primary tumors. Karyotypes of eight tumors were established after R-banding. After comparison with literature data on 15 other cases, two distinct cytogenetic patterns could be distinguished. One was characterized by polyclonal karyotypes, of which a large proportion were simple and carriers of balanced translocations. Another one was characterized by monoclonal chromosome alterations observed in highly aneuploid and complex karyotypes, in which many deletions were observed. These two different patterns could be related to the modality of metaphase harvesting. Polyclonal karyotypes were preferentially observed after long-term cultures, and monoclonal karyotypes after short-term cultures or xenografts. The following scheme of radiation oncogenesis is proposed: a) induction of recessive gene mutations including that of tumor suppressor genes; b) accumulation of genomic alterations in the irradiated tissue with aging, including deletions or mutations of normal alleles from mutated tumor suppressor genes; and c) loss of tumor suppressor gene function and initiation of a multistage tumor development and progression. Polyclonal abnormalities are assumed to exist in noncancerous cells which acquired radiation-induced chromosome aberrations.

[Radiation-induced cancers]

The induction of malignant diseases is one of the most concerning late effects of ionising radiation. A large amount of information has been collected form atomic bomb survivors, patients after therapeutic irradiation, occupational follow-up and accidentally exposed populations. Major uncertainties persist in the (very) low dose range i.e., population and workers radioprotection. A review of the biological mechanisms leading to cancer strongly suggests that the vast majority of radiation-induced malignancies arise as a consequence of recessive mutations of tumour-suppressor genes. These mutations can be unveiled by ageing, this process being possibly furthered by constitutional or acquired genomic instability. The individual risk is likely to be very low, probably because of the usual dose level. However, the magnitude of medical exposure and the reliance of our societies on nuclear industry are so high that irreproachable decision-making processes and standards for practice are inescapable.

Increased radiation-induced chromosome breakage after progesterone addition at the G1/S-phase transition

Pregnant females appear to have an increased chromosomal sensitivity to gamma-irradiation. This hypersensitivity was found to parallel the increase of gestation hormone amounts [M. Ricoul, L. Sabatier, B. Dutrillaux, Increased chromosome radiosensitivity during pregnancy, Mutat. Res. 374(1997) 73-78]. An in vitro experiment was developed to study the effect of progesterone. We performed irradiations of whole blood from normal human donors and chromosome were analysed in first generation metaphases. By comparison to untreated controls, all cultures in which progesterone was added around the 24th h of culture exhibited an increased frequency of chromosome rearrangements, principally dicentrics and rings, which confirms the role of progesterone in the results of in vivo studies. BrdU incorporation studies suggested that progesterone was particularly efficient just before the entry into S-phase, which corresponds to the G1/S transition period. Cultures with an increased frequency of chromosome breakage had a slightly higher mitotic index than controls. It is suggested that progesterone may stimulate DNA repair in cells which reached the end of G1-phase with unrepaired breaks. This would allow the cells to enter the S-phase and survive, although some illegitimate repair leads to chromosome rearrangements, visible at the following metaphase.

Chromosome abnormalities in peripheral blood lymphocytes from Cebus apella (Cebidae, Platyrrhini) after X-ray irradiation

In this paper, we describe the results of a qualitative and quantitative study of chromosomal reorganizations observed in X-irradiated (1Gy and 2Gy) and cultured lymphocytes from Cebus apella. A total of 646 breakpoints have been detected, identified and localized in the ideogram of the species. The breakpoint distribution along chromosomes, p and q arms, and bands is not random. Chromosomes #11, #12 and chromosome arms 1p, 12p, 13p, 15p, 11q, and 12q are significantly more affected than expected, while chromosome #19 and chromosome arm 19q are less affected. Terminal regions of chromosome arms accumulate a higher number of breakpoints than the rest of the chromosome (37.82%). A high percentage (93.66%) of breakpoints is found in G negative bands.

Role of chromosome instability in long term effect of manned-space missions

Astronauts are exposed to heavy ions during space missions and heavy ion induced-chromosome damages have been observed in their lymphocytes. This raises the problem of the consequence of longer space flights. Recent studies show that some alterations can appear many cell generations after the initial radiation exposure as a delayed genomic instability. This delayed instability is characterized by the accumulation of cell alterations leading to cell transformation, delayed cell death and mutations. Chromosome instability was shown in vitro in different model systems (Sabatier et al., 1992; Marder and Morgan, 1993, Kadhim et al., 1994 and Holmberg et al., 1993, 1995). All types of radiation used induce a chromosome instability, however, heavy ions cause the most damage. The period of chromosome instability followed by the formation of clones with unbalanced karyotypes seems to be shared by cancer cells. The shortening of telomere sequences leading to the formation of telomere fusions is an important factor in the appearance of this chromosome instability.

Structural instability of a transmissible end-to-end dicentric chromosome in a xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblast clone

Cytogenetic analysis was performed in a fibroblast clone (XP9UV25) selected for anchorage-independent growth from an XP strain of normal origin and characterized by the presence of clonal chromosome rearrangements. A dicentric chromosome involving the 5p and 16q telomeric regions was observed in XP9UV25 cells at the fifth passage from colony isolation and at successive passages. The specific anomaly was present with increasing frequency (from 22 to 60% of mitoses) during culture propagation, undergoing rearrangements that gave rise to: 1) (5;16) dicentrics with deletions or duplications of the intercentromeric region; 2) homodicentrics for chromosomes 5 or 16, either end-to-end associations or rearranged; and 3) derivative 5p+ and 16q+ monocentric chromosomes. The frequency of other anomalies involving other chromosomes was negligible. These findings represent the first demonstration that a telomeric association leads to a variety of balanced and unbalanced chromosome rearrangements. These rearrangements may result from asymmetric interchanges between sister chromatids, "bridge-breakage-fusion" events during cell division, breakage and reunion of isochromatids, and breakage followed by healing of the ends. The type of anomaly and the sequence of karyotypic changes we observed in the XP9UV25 clone and their mechanisms of origin may be the same as those occurring during transformation from diploidy to aneuploidy in neoplastic cells.

Chromosomal instability and alterations of telomeric repeats in irradiated human fibroblasts

In recent years, evidence has been presented suggesting that genomic instability can appear several generations after cellular exposure to radiations. Kadhim et al. (1992) have shown that irradiation by alpha-particles of Pu238 (LET = 120 keV/microns) induce a transmissible instability in mouse haematopoietic cells. Working with human dermis fibroblasts irradiated by heavy ions in a large range of LETs (386-13,600 keV/microns), we demonstrated that an instability could also be acquired by human cells and that particular chromosomes (13, 16, 1) were recurrently involved in telomeric associations (Sabatier et al. 1992). This instability resulted in specific chromosome imbalances and in a particular monosomy 13 (Martins et al. 1993). In this study, we wanted to determine whether telomeres are shortened with the appearance of the chromosomal instability. Our results show no drastic shortening of the mean length of telomeres by Southern blot. By in situ hybridization we are looking to see if chromosomes specifically involved in instability have alterations of the telomeres. We have observed large variations of the hybridization signal of individual telomeres with no telomeric sequences detectable at the junction of end to end associations.

Aneuploidy in human lymphocytes: an extensive study of eight individuals of various ages

Data on aneuploidy from a prospective study on a large number of lymphocyte metaphases (over 1000 in 72-h and 100 in 48-h cultures) per individual from eight healthy donors of various ages are reported. Chromosome losses were dependent on culture time, being significantly more frequent in 72-h than in 48-h cultures. All donors exhibited various degrees of aneuploidy which increased with age in women. This increase resulted essentially from X chromosome losses, as previously reported. Although the rate of aneuploidy limited to autosomes was similar in newborns and in adults, the distributions of the missing autosomes were different. In the two newborns studied, autosome aneuploidy was random. In the adults, a significant inverse correlation with autosome lengths was observed. The inverse correlation between chromosome lengths and losses may be explained by selective pressure against monosomic cells in the adults.

Specific chromosome instability induced by heavy ions: a step towards transformation of human fibroblasts?

Cultures of human skin fibroblasts were exposed to heavy ions: neon (E = 10.74 MeV/u) and argon (E = 10.52 MeV/u) at fluences of 10(6), 2 x 10(6) and 4 x 10(6) and lead (E = 9.5 MeV/u) at a fluence of 2 x 10(6) particles/cm2. Cultures were further prolonged for up to 25 passages and karyotyping was performed at various times. Radiation-induced chromosome anomalies progressively decreased, became quite rare at passages 5-7 and increased at later passages. Around passages 20-25, most anomalies occurring were dicentrics, involving telomeric regions of 13p and q arms principally and to a lesser degree those of 1p, 16p and 16q arms. These non-random rearrangements paralleled the appearance of clones with unbalanced karyotypes. In particular, two independent proliferating clones were characterized by a monosomy 13. It is concluded that most chromosome lesions directly induced by heavy ions are hardly compatible with cell survival and thus disappear after a few cell generations. However, surviving cells acquire a de novo chromosome instability leading to the formation of clones with unbalanced karyotypes at late passages.

Chromosomal anomalies in radiation-induced fibrosis in the pig

R-banded karyotypes were established on fibroblasts from fibrotic tissues derived from experimental fibrosis induced in pigs, either surgically or by 64 Gy of gamma-rays from iridium-192. No chromosome aberrations were observed in the surgical fibrosis. In radiation-induced fibrosis, the high frequency of abnormal karyotypes and the frequent complexity of the chromosomal rearrangements suggest that the fibroblasts originated either from the 64-Gy area, or from the penumbra, but certainly not from non-irradiated areas. At early passages in vitro, almost all karyotypes were different, demonstrating a multiclonal origin of fibrotic tissue. At late passages (above 24), the situation was quite different, with the persistence of one or two clones only, demonstrating a strong selective pressure occurring in vitro.

Variations of chromosome radiation sensitivity in fetal and adult mice during gestation

Mice were exposed to 2 Gy of gamma-rays at various days of pregnancy, and just before and after gestation. Chromosomes were analyzed 4 h after irradiation in spontaneously dividing hematopoietic cells from liver for fetuses and bone marrow for mothers. On average, there was significantly less chromosome damage in fetuses than in mothers. A very strong increase of chromosome breakage was observed in mothers at days 16-19 of gestation. This increase parallels that of gestation hormones, suggesting a direct relationship. The differences between fetuses and mothers in relation to gestation age result from the increase in the rate of chromatid and chromosome breaks but not of chromatid exchanges, which remained stable. This suggests that a DNA repair step involved in joining broken extremities is the cause. More experiments are needed to understand the origin of these variations of radiation sensitivity and the possible extrapolation of these observations to other species.

Jumping end-to-end dicentrics in a case of squamous cell carcinoma from a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum

Cytogenetic studies of a skin squamous cell carcinoma from a xeroderma pigmentosum patient were performed at several passages. They show the existence of recurrent rearrangements: 53% were dicentrics, of which 67% were of the telomere-telomere type. The telomeric region of the long arm of chromosome 12 was the most involved (in 38% of dicentrics), followed by 22p. The origin of this type of jumping rearrangement and its possible role on cell proliferation are discussed.

Chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes of patients treated with melphalan

Chromosome lesions detected in lymphocytes from 14 patients previously treated with melphalan, a bifunctional alkylating agent, have been analyzed on R-banded preparations. In comparison to controls, there was no significant increase of chromatid-type lesions, but chromosome-type lesions were quite frequent, affecting 21.5% of metaphases, on the average. Reciprocal translocations represent 54%, unbalanced translocations 15%, deletions 19% and inversions 6% of all rearrangements. Most of these would not have been detected without the use of chromosome banding. The distributions of affected chromosomes and chromosome bands were not random. Almost all imbalances resulting from rearrangements lead to losses but not to gains. The distribution of the abnormal chromosomes has been compared to that observed in controls and in in vitro experiments, and to the characteristic pattern of malignant cells from patients affected by secondary acute leukemia (ANLL).