Interaction between radiation and drug damage in mammalian cells. IV. Radiation response of adriamycin-resistant V79 cells.

Adriamycin-resistant variants derived from V79 Chinese hamster cells were examined for their radiation response properties. A stable resistant cell line (77A) demonstrated a significant reduction in the extrapolation number of the single-dose radiation survival curve. Second-step mutants from 77A cells exhibited a spectrum of radiation response states including decreased D0 values and large extrapolation numbers. A highly Adriamycin-resistant line (LZ) was found to be radiation sensitive with increased capacity for the accumulation of sublethal radiation injury. LZ cells are known to contain double-minute chromosomes and an amplified gene for the multidrug phenotype and to exhibit multidrug resistant properties. These cells require the presence of Adriamycin in their growth medium to maintain their pleiotropic characteristics. LZ cells became more resistant to radiation following reversion to an intermediate Adriamycin response as the consequence of growth in Adriamycin-free medium. Reverted cells also lost their large capacity for sublethal damage. It is suggested that detailed study of these mutants may provide insight into the identification of radiation-sensitive sites and their relationship to the genetic changes characterizing Adriamycin-resistant cell lines.