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Muñoz ID, García-Calderón D, Felix-Bautista R, Burigo LN, Christensen JB, Brons S, Runz A, Häring P, Greilich S, Seco J, Jäkel O. Linear Energy Transfer Measurements and Estimation of Relative Biological Effectiveness in Proton and Helium Ion Beams Using Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detectors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 120:205-215. [PMID: 38437925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our objective was to develop a methodology for assessing the linear energy transfer (LET) and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) in clinical proton and helium ion beams using fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTDs). METHODS AND MATERIALS FNTDs were exposed behind solid water to proton and helium (4He) ion spread-out Bragg peaks. Detectors were imaged with a confocal microscope, and the LET spectra were derived from the fluorescence intensity. The track- and dose-averaged LET (LETF and LETD, respectively) were calculated from the LET spectra. LET measurements were used as input on RBE models to estimate the RBE. Human alveolar adenocarcinoma cells (A549) were exposed at the same positions as the FNTDs. The RBE was calculated from the resulting survival curves. All measurements were compared with Monte Carlo simulations. RESULTS For protons, average relative differences between measurements and simulations were 6% and 19% for LETF and LETD, respectively. For helium ions, the same differences were 11% for both quantities. The position of the experimental LET spectra primary peaks agreed with the simulations within 9% and 14% for protons and helium ions, respectively. For the RBE models using LETD as input, FNTD-based RBE values ranged from 1.02 ± 0.01 to 1.25 ± 0.04 and from 1.08 ± 0.09 to 2.68 ± 1.26 for protons and helium ions, respectively. The average relative differences between these values and simulations were 2% and 4%. For A549 cells, the RBE ranged from 1.05 ± 0.07 to 1.47 ± 0.09 and from 0.89 ± 0.06 to 3.28 ± 0.20 for protons and helium ions, respectively. Regarding the RBE-weighted dose (2.0 Gy at the spread-out Bragg peak), the differences between simulations and measurements were below 0.10 Gy. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates for the first time that FNTDs can be used to perform direct LET measurements and to estimate the RBE in clinical proton and helium ion beams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván D Muñoz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Daniel García-Calderón
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Renato Felix-Bautista
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lucas N Burigo
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jeppe Brage Christensen
- Department of Radiation Safety and Security, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Brons
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Armin Runz
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Häring
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steffen Greilich
- Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co KG, Units of Radiation Protection and Bioanalytics, Bad Wildbad, Germany
| | - Joao Seco
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver Jäkel
- Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Hill RM, Li C, Hughes JR, Rocha S, Grundy GJ, Parsons JL. Autophagy is the main driver of radioresistance of HNSCC cells in mild hypoxia. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18482. [PMID: 38899556 PMCID: PMC11187736 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia poses a significant challenge to the effectiveness of radiotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, and it is imperative to discover novel approaches to overcome this. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms contributing to x-ray radioresistance in HPV-negative HNSCC cells under mild hypoxic conditions (1% oxygen) and explored the potential for autophagy modulation as a promising therapeutic strategy. Our findings show that HNSCC cells exposed to mild hypoxic conditions exhibit increased radioresistance, which is largely mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway. We demonstrate that siRNA knockdown of HIF-1α and HIF-1β leads to increased radiosensitivity in HNSCC cells under hypoxia. Hypoxia-induced radioresistance was not attributed to differences in DNA double strand break repair kinetics, as these remain largely unchanged under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Rather, we identify autophagy as a critical protective mechanism in HNSCC cells following irradiation under mild hypoxia conditions. Targeting key autophagy genes, such as BECLIN1 and BNIP3/3L, using siRNA sensitizes these cells to irradiation. Whilst autophagy's role in hypoxic radioresistance remains controversial, this study highlights the importance of autophagy modulation as a potential therapeutic approach to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhianna M. Hill
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Chun Li
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Jonathan R. Hughes
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Sonia Rocha
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Gabrielle J. Grundy
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Jason L. Parsons
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
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Pagliari F, Jansen J, Knoll J, Hanley R, Seco J, Tirinato L. Cancer radioresistance is characterized by a differential lipid droplet content along the cell cycle. Cell Div 2024; 19:14. [PMID: 38643120 PMCID: PMC11031927 DOI: 10.1186/s13008-024-00116-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer radiation treatments have seen substantial advancements, yet the biomolecular mechanisms underlying cancer cell radioresistance continue to elude full understanding. The effectiveness of radiation on cancer is hindered by various factors, such as oxygen concentrations within tumors, cells' ability to repair DNA damage and metabolic changes. Moreover, the initial and radiation-induced cell cycle profiles can significantly influence radiotherapy responses as radiation sensitivity fluctuates across different cell cycle stages. Given this evidence and our prior studies establishing a correlation between cancer radiation resistance and an increased number of cytoplasmic Lipid Droplets (LDs), we investigated if LD accumulation was modulated along the cell cycle and if this correlated with differential radioresistance in lung and bladder cell lines. RESULTS Our findings identified the S phase as the most radioresistant cell cycle phase being characterized by an increase in LDs. Analysis of the expression of perilipin genes (a family of proteins involved in the LD structure and functions) throughout the cell cycle also uncovered a unique gene cell cycle pattern. CONCLUSIONS In summary, although these results require further molecular studies about the mechanisms of radioresistance, the findings presented here are the first evidence that LD accumulation could participate in cancer cells' ability to better survive X-Ray radiation when cells are in the S phase. LDs can represent new players in the radioresistance processes associated with cancer metabolism. This could open new therapeutic avenues in which the use of LD-interfering drugs might enhance cancer sensitivity to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pagliari
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jeannette Jansen
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Knoll
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rachel Hanley
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joao Seco
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Luca Tirinato
- Division of Biomedical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Medical and Surgical Science, University Magna Graecia, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
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Autsavapromporn N, Kobayashi A, Liu C, Duangya A, Oikawa M, Tengku Ahmad TA, Konishi T. Primary and Secondary Bystander Effects of Proton Microbeam Irradiation on Human Lung Cancer Cells under Hypoxic Conditions. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1485. [PMID: 38132311 PMCID: PMC10741139 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia is the most common feature of radioresistance to the radiotherapy (RT) of lung cancer and results in poor clinical outcomes. High-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation is a novel RT technique to overcome this problem. However, a limited number of studies have been elucidated on the underlying mechanism(s) of RIBE and RISBE in cancer cells exposed to high-LET radiation under hypoxia. Here, we developed a new method to investigate the RIBE and RISBE under hypoxia using the SPICE-QST proton microbeams and a layered tissue co-culture system. Normal lung fibroblast (WI-38) and lung cancer (A549) cells were exposed in the range of 06 Gy of proton microbeams, wherein only ~0.04-0.15% of the cells were traversed by protons. Subsequently, primary bystander A549 cells were co-cultured with secondary bystander A549 cells in the presence or absence of a GJIC and NO inhibitor using co-culture systems. Studies show that there are differences in RIBE in A549 and WI-38 primary bystander cells under normoxia and hypoxia. Interestingly, treatment with a GJIC inhibitor showed an increase in the toxicity of primary bystander WI-38 cells but a decrease in A549 cells under hypoxia. Our results also show the induction of RISBE in secondary bystander A549 cells under hypoxia, where GJIC and NO inhibitors reduced the stressful effects on secondary bystander A549 cells. Together, these preliminary results, for the first time, represented the involvement of intercellular communications through GJIC in propagation of RIBE and RISBE in hypoxic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narongchai Autsavapromporn
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
| | - Alisa Kobayashi
- Single Cell Radiation Biology Team, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Cuihua Liu
- Molecular and Cellular Radiation Biology Group, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan;
| | - Aphidet Duangya
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
| | - Masakazu Oikawa
- Electrostatic Accelerator Operation Section, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan;
| | | | - Teruaki Konishi
- Single Cell Radiation Biology Team, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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