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Growth of Tumor Fragments X-radiated in Vitro Following Pretreatment with Cysteine

( Department of Zoology, University of Illinois, and Division of Biological and Medical Research, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, Ill.)

The data presented in the survival and growth of mouse tumor fragments following x-radiation in vitro with and without prior treatment with 0.008 M cysteine clearly demonstrate the prevention and alleviation of radiation injury of mammalian tumor cells by cysteine. The radiation dose had to be increased by about 18 per cent to effect equivalent injury of cysteine-treated implants. Delay in initiation of growth by tumor fragments following implantation was increased by radiation effects, and the increase in latency was found to be determined by an exponential function of the radiation dose. Cysteine in the ambient medium was not found to be an effective agent in reducing the radio-sensitivity of tumor fragments. The results indicate that the prevention and alleviation of the effects of ionizing radiations upon cells by pretreatment with cysteine and related compounds is due to the intracellular action of their sulfhydryl groups.

Received 2/11/52.