Abstract
The relative biological effect (RBE) of carbon ion beams on mouse intestinal crypt cells were studied. Survival fractions of apoptotic sensitive cells, mitotic delay and colony assay were used for endpoints. Female C3H mice were total body irradiated using a carbon ion beam (290 MeV/u, 6cm SOBP) at the National Institute of Radiological Science. For counting apoptosis and mitosis, the animals were irradiated either at LET of 70keV/mm or 40keV/mm. Fifteen minutes after irradiation, the mice received vincristine sulfate (0.8mg/kg) and were sacrificed 2 hours and 45 minutes later. For colony assay, the animals were irradiated at an LET of 70 keV/mm and were sacrificed 3.5 days later. Jejunum were excised, fixed and cut into slices. The slides were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Apoptosis-pyknotic cell-and mitosis were counted and survival fractions of apoptotic sensitive cells and mitotic delay time were obtained. The number of colonies were counted and survival fractions per circumference were obtained. Using these endpoints, RBEs were obtained. For survival fractions of apoptotic sensitive cells, no LET difference was observed and RBE was 1.7. For mitotic delay time, RBE was 2.3 and 1.7 at an LET of 70 keV/mm and 40 keV/mm, respectively. For colony assay, the RBE was 2.0-2.1. The different RBEs from three endpoints of the jejunal crypt may reflect each nature of the radiosensitivity to the carbonion beam. In summary that mitotic delay time exhibited the same RBE as colony assay and RBE regarding apoptosis was less than those RBEs.
