The response of cultured bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells after exposure to α-particle radiation from chelated212 Bi has been evaluated. The results suggest that even relatively high doses of α-particle radiation from212 Bi (20-72 Gy) cause only minor acute changes in the morphology of BAE cells (light and electron microscopy) under conditions of confluent monolayer growth. Significant morphological changes can be detected in cells that detach from the monolayer, though it is unclear whether these changes represent a genuine response to irradiation or reflect the causes or effects of monolayer detachment with the consequent loss of intercellular biochemical communication. After α-particle irradiation (20-40 Gy) angiotensin-converting-enzyme activity was not detectable in the monolayer culture medium but was significantly decreased within the cell monolayer. Neutral-elution-assay data demonstrated that DNA double-strand-break (DSB) damage occurred in these cells and that about 35% of the DSBs were repairable.

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Copyright 1993 Academic Press, Inc.
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