Dose-Rate Effects in Mammalian Cells in Culture: III. Comparison of Cell Killing and Cell Proliferation during Continuous Irradiation for Six Different Cell Lines

Abstract

The effects of continuous irradiation over a wide range of dose rates were studied for 6 different mammalian cell lines [HeLa S3, Chinese hamster V79, L-P59, CCl 33, CCL 157 and CCL 56] in regard to cell survival and proliferation. Cell lines were chosen with population doubling time, chromosome number, DNA content, acute dose-survival curve parameters and division delay were as diverse as possible. There was no correlation between the minimum dose rate necessary to stop cell population growth and the above listed characteristics, with the exception of division delay following acute doses. In general, the longer the division delay (min/rad), the lower the dose rate required to stop cell population growth. The effects of cell-cycle redistribution during continuous irradiation in regard to cell survival was dramatic. In some cases a reduction in dose rate resulted in an increase in cell killing for a given total dose. This occurred only when dose rates were sufficient to stop cell population growth and after exposure times were sufficient to allow for the occurrence of cell-cycle redistribution.