In vitro investigation of the effects of X- rays carried by a photon beam upon the cell cycle progression in Vero cells

Abstract: The effects of the X-rays carried out in a photon beam produced by a medical linear particle accelerator on the progression of the cell cycle in normal cells Vero were evaluated by flow cytometric mean. The evaluation of the consequences of 1 and 3 Gy irradiation upon cell cycle development was performed after 96 and 120 hours from the exposure moment, in order to register the late effects of irradiation. As compared with the control group (sham exposed) the treated cells with the dose of 1 Gy have shown an increase of the frequency of cells blocked in S and G2/M stages and also of the apoptotic cells at 96 hours from the treatment. After another 24 hours, the frequency of the blocked cells in S and G2/M has decreased. The response of the 96 hours cell cultures to 3 Gy treatment was faster, as suggested by the increased number of apoptotic cells and by reduced frequency of the arrested cells in S and G2/M. The blockage of Vero cells in different phases of the cell-cycle and the presence of active repairing systems reveals the reduced risk of the malignant transformation of the exposed normal cells and could offer an enhanced cell protection to another damaging agents.