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Perturbations in cell cycle progression from radioactive DNA precursors

Nature volume 258, pages 633–636 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

RADIOACTIVE precursors of DNA have widespread application in eukaryotic cell systems for studies of kinetic phenomena, such as DNA metabolism and cell population growth, and for labelling DNA1,2 for biophysical or biochemical investigations. Implicit in their use is the assumption that the experimental endpoints are not perturbed by the presence of the labelling isotope(s). But the validity of this assumption requires reevaluation in the light of reports that the incorporation of radioactive compounds into cellular DNA causes significant biological anomalies, including mutations, chromosome aberrations, cell death3, growth retardation and strand breaks in the DNA molecule4 (for reviews see refs 5 and 6). At least one investigator5 has advocated separate evaluation of the potential perturbations in every experimental system using radioisotope-labelled nucleic acid precursors.

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Author notes

  1. W. A. NAGLE

    Present address: Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201

  2. J. T. LETT: On leave from: Department of Radiology and Radiation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Radiobiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143

    U. K. EHMANN

  2. Department of Physiology, Harvard School of Public Health,

    J. R. WILLIAMS

  3. Joint Center for Radiation Therapy, Department of Radiation Therapy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115

    W. A. NAGLE, J. A. BROWN, J. A. BELLI & J. T. LETT

Authors
  1. U. K. EHMANN
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  2. J. R. WILLIAMS
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  3. W. A. NAGLE
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  4. J. A. BROWN
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  5. J. A. BELLI
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  6. J. T. LETT
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EHMANN, U., WILLIAMS, J., NAGLE, W. et al. Perturbations in cell cycle progression from radioactive DNA precursors. Nature 258, 633–636 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258633a0

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