Effects of radiation and porphyrin on mitosis and chromosomes in human hematopoietic cell lines.

The effect on mitosis of a human hematopoietic cell line RPMI-1788 treated with a metal chelate (Zn++) of meso-tetra (p-carboxyphenyl) porphine (Zn-TCPP) alone at various concentrations or in combination with gamma-irradiation at various doses were studied. The results showed that both Zn-TCPP and radiation were effective in interfering with normal mitosis and that the effect of radiation was relatively more effective. Data also suggest interacting effects between Zn-TCPP and gamma-irradiation. At low doses of radiation, Zn-TCPP potentiated the effect of radiation. The reverse seemed to be true at a high dose of radiation. The effects of two porphyrins (Zn-TCPP and hematoporphyrin) and radiation on chromosomes were also studied. Chromosomal aberrations characteristic of radiation were observed. The porphyrins were found not to be effective chromosome-breaking agents under the experimental conditions tested.