The enhancement of neutron irradiation of HeLa-S cervix carcinoma cells by cell-nucleus-addressed deca-p-boronophenylalanine

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an experimental treatment modality which depends on a sufficient cellular uptake of Boron (B-10) followed by an exposure to a thermal neutron beam from a. nuclear reactor. High energetic particles (He-4 and Li-7) are. created during the neutron capture reaction and produce DNA damages, which lead to cell killing. Regarding BNCT, the short radiation range of He- and Li-particles is decisive for the distribution of B-10. Until now, BNCT has been lacking for therapeutically effective concentrations of B-10. Twenty-four hours after the combined use of our 'Bioshuttle'-p-borono-phenylalanine(10)-constructs ('Bioshuttle'-p-BPA(10)) and neutron-irradiation, an obvious reduction of the radiation-resistant HeLa-S cells could be observed. No cells were alive 72 h after the incubation with 'Bioshuttle'-p-BPA(10) followed by neutron irradiation. A post-mitotic cell death could be assumed based on flow cytometrical data. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.