Direct evidence for a bystander effect of ionizing radiation in primary human fibroblasts
2001
Bystander Effect of Radiation in Human Cells
Sample size: 5000
publication
Evidence: high
Author Information
Author(s): Belyakov O V, Malcolmson A M, Folkard M, Prise K M, Michael B D
Primary Institution: Gray Laboratory Cancer Research Trust, Mount Vernon Hospital
Hypothesis
Does ionizing radiation induce a bystander effect in primary human fibroblasts?
Conclusion
The study provides direct evidence that targeting a single cell with ionizing radiation can cause damage to surrounding unexposed cells.
Supporting Evidence
- Targeting a single cell with radiation resulted in damage to an additional 80-100 surrounding cells.
- The damage observed was independent of the number of charged particles delivered to the targeted cell.
- A 2-3-fold increase in damage was noted in unexposed cells when multiple cells were targeted.
Takeaway
When one cell is hit by radiation, it can hurt other nearby cells too, even if they weren't directly hit.
Methodology
A charged-particle microbeam was used to target individual primary human fibroblasts with helium ions.
Participant Demographics
Primary human fibroblasts were used in the study.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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