Radioprotection of mammalian cells by procaine.

Abstract

The cellular membrane has been recognized for some time as an important target for radiation injury (Myers, 1970; Alper, 1971). In addition to this, it is also believed to play an important role in repair processes, thus influencing the ultimate survival of the irradiated cells. In an attempt to elucidate these mechanisms further, we have examined the ability of certain “membrane-active” compounds to modify the radiation response of mammalian cells under various experimental conditions. In this report we present the radioprotective effect afforded by a local anaesthetic, procaine hydrochloride (PH), on L5178Y, a murine leukaemic cell line. Asynchronous L5178Y cells were grown in Fischer's Medium plus 10% horse serum. Cultures were harvested by centrifugation and resuspended in serum-free medium to final concentration of 2 × 105 cells/ml. Cells were irradiated at room temperature with a Picker 250 kV X-ray generator at a dose rate of 60 rad/min. An appropriate amount of 1 M PH solution, made up in saline, ...