Single α-particle irradiation permits real-time visualization of RNF8 accumulation at DNA damaged sites

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Radiation Oncology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Alpha particles are a source of environmental radiation and are being explored for targeted radiation therapy.
• Understanding DNA damage from alpha particles in real-time within living cells is crucial for advancing radiation therapy.
• Current methods for detecting and tracking low-energy alpha particles in cells are challenging due to scattering and limited range.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for reliable single alpha particle detection and single cell irradiation.
• To visualize in situ the DNA damage response to single alpha particles in real-time.
• To overcome the limitations of current alpha particle microbeam technologies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a thin Boron-doped Nano-Crystalline Diamond membrane.
• Utilizing focused alpha particle microbeams for single cell irradiation (3 MeV).
• In situ observation of GFP-tagged RNF8 protein accumulation at DNA damage sites over 30 minutes post-irradiation.

Main Results:

• The developed membrane enabled reliable single alpha particle detection with negligible beam scattering.
• Single 3 MeV alpha particles were delivered to single cells using a focused microbeam.
• The study successfully visualized the accumulation of GFP-tagged RNF8 protein, indicating DNA damage response, within 30 minutes post-irradiation.

Conclusions:

• The Boron-doped Nano-Crystalline Diamond membrane is effective for single alpha particle detection and cell irradiation.
• This technique allows for real-time in situ visualization of cellular responses to targeted alpha particle radiation.
• The findings contribute to the advancement of targeted radiation therapy and understanding of DNA damage mechanisms.