In vitro studies of DNA damage and repair mechanisms induced by BNCT in a poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma cell line

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for aggressive tumors is based on nuclear reaction [¹⁰B (n, α) ⁷Li]. Previously, we demonstrated that BNCT could be applied for the treatment of undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma. The aim of the present study was to describe the DNA damage pattern and the repair pathways that are activated by BNCT in thyroid cells. We analyzed γH2AX foci and the expression of Ku70, Rad51 and Rad54, main effector enzymes of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathways, respectively, in thyroid follicular carcinoma cells. The studied groups were: (1) C [no irradiation], (2) gamma [⁶⁰Co source], (3) N [neutron beam alone], (4) BNCT [neutron beam plus 10 µg ¹⁰B/ml of boronphenylalanine (¹⁰BPA)]. The total absorbed dose was always 3 Gy. The results showed that the number of nuclear γH2AX foci was higher in the gamma group than in the N and BNCT groups (30 min-24 h) (p < 0.001). However, the focus size was significantly larger in BNCT compared to other groups (p < 0.01). The analysis of repair enzymes showed a significant increase in Rad51 and Rad54 mRNA at 4 and 6 h, respectively; in both N and BNCT groups and the expression of Ku70 did not show significant differences between groups. These findings are consistent with an activation of HRR mechanism in thyroid cells. A melanoma cell line showed different DNA damage pattern and activation of both repair pathways. These results will allow us to evaluate different blocking points, to potentiate the damage induced by BNCT.

Improvement of the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) by the previous administration of the histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate for the treatment of thyroid carcinoma

We have shown that boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) could be an alternative for the treatment of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC). Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACI) like sodium butyrate (NaB) cause hyperacetylation of histone proteins and show capacity to increase the gamma irradiation effect. The purpose of these studies was to investigate the use of the NaB as a radiosensitizer of the BNCT for PDTC. Follicular thyroid carcinoma cells (WRO) and rat thyroid epithelial cells (FRTL-5) were incubated with 1 mM NaB and then treated with boronophenylalanine ¹⁰BPA (10 μg ¹⁰B ml⁻¹) + neutrons, or with 2, 4-bis (α,β-dihydroxyethyl)-deutero-porphyrin IX ¹⁰BOPP (10 μg ¹⁰B ml⁻¹) + neutrons, or with a neutron beam alone. The cells were irradiated in the thermal column facility of the RA-3 reactor (flux = (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁰ n cm⁻² s⁻¹). Cell survival decreased as a function of the physical absorbed dose in both cell lines. Moreover, the addition of NaB decreased cell survival (p < 0.05) in WRO cells incubated with both boron compounds. NaB increased the percentage of necrotic and apoptotic cells in both BNCT groups (p < 0.05). An accumulation of cells in G2/M phase at 24 h was observed for all the irradiated groups and the addition of NaB increased this percentage. Biodistribution studies of BPA (350 mg kg⁻¹ body weight) 24 h after NaB injection were performed. The in vivo studies showed that NaB treatment increases the amount of boron in the tumor at 2-h post-BPA injection (p < 0.01). We conclude that NaB could be used as a radiosensitizer for the treatment of thyroid carcinoma by BNCT.

Studies for the application of boron neutron capture therapy to the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer

The aim of these studies was to evaluate the possibility of treating differentiated thyroid cancer by BNCT. These carcinomas are well controlled with surgery followed by therapy with (131)I; however, some patients do not respond to this treatment. BPA uptake was analyzed both in vitro and in nude mice implanted with cell lines of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The boron intracellular concentration in the different cell lines and the biodistribution studies showed the selectivity of the BPA uptake by this kind of tumor.

Effects of iodide on thyroglobulin biosynthesis in FRTL-5 cells

Iodide inhibits several thyroid parameters through an organic intermediate, and this process has been related to thyroid autoregulation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of iodine on thyroglobulin (Tg) synthesis in the rat thyroid cell line FRTL-5. TSH stimulated amino acid incorporation into the cells by 400% and iodine had no effect on this parameter. No effect of TSH or iodide on [35S] methionine incorporation into protein was found under our experimental conditions (approximately 80% of total [35S]methionine incorporated was found in TCA-precipitable material). TSH caused an increase in Tg synthesis, after 1 h, while iodide partially blocked the effect of TSH (control 6.4% of TCA precipitable radioactivity; TSH 10.7%; iodide 8.4%). After 24 h, the protein released into the medium was measured. TSH stimulated total protein liberation and iodide inhibited this parameter. TSH stimulated total RNA content, and iodide caused an inhibition. Northern analysis did not show inhibition by iodide of TSH-stimulated Tg mRNA levels. The present results show an inhibitory effect of excess iodide on TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin biosynthesis in FRTL-5 cells.