Fullerenes as a new class of radioprotectors

Purpose: To evaluate the radioprotective activity of C-3, a regioisomer of water-soluble carboxyfullerene and a potent free radical scavenger, on both normal and tumour cells. Materials and methods: The murine committed bone-marrow stem cells for both granulocytes and monocytes (GM-CFC) were used to represent normal cells. For tumour cells, murine Ehrlich to represent normal cells. For tumour cells, murine Ehrlich ascites tumour cells grown in regular tissue culture (EAT-T) and in the peritoneal cavity CD1 mice (EAT-PC) and human HeLa cells were used. Cells were preexpected to varying concentrations (1 100 mug/ml) of C-3 at 37 degreesC for 30 min before they were irradiation. Clonogenic assays were used to determine survival. The protection factor (PF), defined as the ratio of survival with and without C3, was then determined. Results: C3 protected GM-CFC in a concentration-dependent manner up to 50 mug/ml, and no additional protection was seen at 100 mug/ml. The PF was 1.77 when bone-marrow cells were pre-exposed to 50 mug/ml of C-3 before they were irradiated with 2 Gy. The value of PF increased to 2.38 when 4 Gy was used. In sharp contrast, C-3 exerted less radioprotective effect on tumour cells. The PF values were 1.07, 1.43 and 1.07 for EAT-T, EAT-PG, and HeLa cells, respectively, when 2 Gy was given in the presence of 50 mug/ml of C3. These values increased to 1.40, 1.75 and 1.27, respectively, when 4 Gy was given. the dose-modifying factors at 10% survival were 1.37 and 1.15 for GM-CFC and EAT-PC, respectively. Conclusion: C3 exhibits a radioprotective effect on a class of normal haemopoietic progenitor cells. It also protects tumour cells, but to a lesser degree. It appears that C3 and other water-soluble fullerenes have a potential to be a new class of cytoprotectors.