Detection of chromosomal instability in alpha-irradiated and bystander human fibroblasts

There is increasing evidence biological responses to ionizing radiation are not confined to those cells that are directly hit, but may be seen in the progeny at subsequent generations (genomic instability) and in non-irradiated neighbors of irradiated cells (bystander effects). These so called non-targeted phenomena would have significant contributions to radiation-induced carcinogenesis, especially at low doses where only a limited number of cells in a population are directed hit. Here we present data using a co-culturing protocol examining chromosomal instability in alpha-irradiated and bystander human fibroblasts BJ1-htert. At the first cell division following exposure to 0.1 and 1Gy alpha-particles, irradiated populations demonstrated a dose dependent increase in chromosome-type aberrations. At this time bystander BJ1-htert populations demonstrated elevated chromatid-type aberrations when compared to controls. Irradiated and bystander populations were also analyzed for chromosomal aberrations as a function of time post-irradiation. When considered over 25 doublings, all irradiated and bystander populations had significantly higher frequencies of chromatid aberrations when compared to controls (2-3-fold over controls) and were not dependent on dose. The results presented here support the link between the radiation-induced phenomena of genomic instability and the bystander effect.