Differential response induced by exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation in SHSY-5Y and normal human fibroblast cells

Radiation therapy has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers for nearly a century and is one of the most effective ways to treat cancer. Low-dose ionizing radiation (IR) can interfere with cell division of cancer and normal cells by introducing oxidative stress and injury to DNA. The differences in the response to IR-induced DNA damage and increased reactive oxygen species between normal human fibroblasts (NHFs) and cancerous SHSY-5Y cells were considered. H2AX staining and comet assays revealed that NHF cells responded by initiating a DNA repair sequence whereas SHSY-5Y cells did not. In addition, NHF cells appeared to quench the oxidative stress induced by IR, and after 24 h no DNA damage was present. SHSY-5Y cells, however, did not repair their DNA, did not quench the oxidative stress, and showed characteristic signs that they were beginning to undergo apoptosis. These results indicate that there is a differential response between this cancerous and normal cell line in their ability to respond to low-dose IR, and these differences need to be exploited in order to treat cancer effectively. Further study is needed in order to elucidate the mechanism by which SHSY-5Y cells undergo apoptosis following radiation and why these normal cells are better equipped to deal with IR-induced double-strand breaks and oxidative stress.