DNA fragments induction in human fibroblasts by radiations of different qualities

Experimental data on DNA double strand break (DSB) induction in human fibroblasts (AG1522), following irradiation with several radiation qualities, namely gamma rays, 0.84 MeV protons, 58.9 MeV u(-1) carbon ions, iron ions of 115 MeV u(-1), 414 MeV u(-1), 1 GeV u(-1), and 5 GeV u(-1), are presented. DSB yields were measured by calibrated Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis in the DNA fragment size range 0.023-5.7 Mbp. The DSB yields show little LET dependence, in spite of the large variation of the latter among the beams, and are slightly higher than that obtained using gamma rays. The highest yield was found for the 5 GeV u(-1) iron beam, that gave a value 30% higher than the 1 GeV u(-1) iron beam. A phenomenological method is used to parametrise deviation from randomness in fragment size spectra.