Proliferation-independent growth factor modulation of the radiation sensitivity of human prostate cells

The survival of human prostatic epithelial cells irradiated in different physiological states is reported. Exponentially growing cells and contact-inhibited cells grown and irradiated in the presence of the growth factors epidermal growth factor (EGF) and bovine pituitary extract (bPE) had overlapping radiation dose-cell survival curves. However, when EGF and bPE were removed from exponentially growing cells before irradiation, an increase in radiosensitivity was observed if the cells were replated into medium containing growth factors (EGF and bPE) immediately after irradiation. Treating cells with the nonspecific growth factor receptor antagonist suramin had similar effects as did growth factor deprivation. In contrast, when growth factor-deprived cells were maintained in this same medium for 12 h postirradiation, an increase in radiation survival was observed. This increase in survival is attributed to the repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD). Both the increase in radiosensitivity induced by deprivation of growth factor before irradiation and the repair of PLD caused by deprivation of growth factor after irradiation were independent of changes in cellular proliferation.