On the immunological detection of X-ray induced DNA damage

Denatured calf-thymus DNA was X-irradiated, coupled to methylated bovine serum albumin and injected into rabbits to study the possible formation of specific antibodies. The serological activity was tested by a modified Farr-test, a micro complement binding reaction and by caesium chloride isopycnic ultracentrifugation. It was found with all assays that the immunological reaction was mainly due to unspecific DNA-binding and only a very small amount to radiation products. It seems, therefore, that this approach is not suitable for the analytical investigation of DNA damage produced by ionizing radiation.