Ultrastructural changes of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells irradiated in vitro with a 137Cs source

Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells in culture were evaluated by phase-contrast and electron microscopy at various times after being irradiated with 137Cs in vitro. Cells irradiated prior to reaching confluency showed vacuolization aand increased numbers of lysosomes beginning at 48 hr after irradiation with 300-500 rad and at 24 hr after irradiation with 1500-5000 rad. After 7 days the morphological changes appeared to be reversible for cells receiving the lower doses, but were progressive for higher doses of radiation. The same qualitative changes, with a delayed onset, were observed for cells irradiated at confluency. An observed decrease in the endoplasmic reticulum and polysomes occurred only late in the course of radiation injury. There was no observable structural alteration of mitochondria even when there was evidence of otherwise marked cytoplasmic injury. We conclude that structural changes of the lysosomes constitute an early phase of injury by irradiation of the endothelial cell in culture, while decreases in endoplasmic reticulum and polysomes occur relatively late. The mitochondrial structure of the endothelial cell appears to be relatively resistant to radiation. All morphological changes occur subsequent to impaired transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, which is observed within 6 hr as previously reported.