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Updated: Aug 3, 2026

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
Published on: July 4, 2015
alpha-, beta-, and gamma-Tubulin polymerization in response to DNA damage
1Hamilton Regional Cancer Center, 699 Concession Street, Hamilton, Ontario, L8V 5C2, Canada.
Abstract:
Microtubules provide structural support for a cell and play key roles in cell motility, mitosis, and meiosis. They are also the targets of several anticancer agents, indicating their importance in maintaining cell viability. We have investigated the possibility that alterations in microtubule structure and tubulin polymerization may be part of the cellular response to DNA damage. In this report, we find that gamma-radiation stimulates the production and polymerization of alpha-, beta-, and gamma- tubulin in hematopoeitic cell lines (Ramos, DP16), leading to visible changes in microtubule structures. We have found that this microtubule reorganization can be prevented by caffeine, a drug that concomitantly inhibits DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Our results support the idea that microtubule polymerization is an important facet of the mammalian response to DNA damage.
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