DNA-DEGRADATION IN CHINESE-HAMSTER OVARY CELLS AFTER EXPOSURE TO HYPERTHERMIA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (11) , 4427-4432
Abstract
Chinese hamster ovary cells grown in suspension showed a progressive reduction in the size of their nuclear DNA to 50-60S fragments after hyperthermia (43-48.degree.).This DNA degradation was not a homogeneous response but was observed only in cells incapable of attaching to a substratum after acute heating. The DNA degradation was associated with the inability of cells to exclude the vital stain, trypan blue. The degradation process appeared to be a result of nucleolytic enzyme digestion which accompanies cell necrosis. A similar phenomenon was observed in heated monolayer cells but only after significantly greater time-temperature exposures. Cellular subpopulations can be separated after hyperthermia and these subpopulations are biochemically distinct and characterized by different viability.