The effect of prior heat treatment on the thermal enhancement of radiation damage in the mouse ear

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Abstract
The effects of prior heat treatment on the skin reaction produced by a subsequent treatment with combined heat and X rays were investigated in the mouse ear. Ears were heated by immersion in hot water. The priming heat treatment was always 43.5.degree. C for 40 min. Its effect was transient, beginning between 24 and 48 h after the priming treatment and reaching a maximum at 48-96 h when there was a reduction in the skin response to combined heat and X rays, i.e., it caused a reduction in the thermal enhancement ratio (TER). The effect was lost by 192 h. At 96 h after the priming treatment the TER for 30 min at 42.5.degree. C or at 43.5.degree. C was reduced by a value equivalent to decreasing the temperature by about 0.4.degree. C. This was equivalent to increasing the heating at 43.5.degree. C required to produce a given enhancement of radiation damage by a factor of 1.4 relative to that required without prior heating. The effect was smaller than induced resistance to damage caused by severe heat treatment alone (i.e., necrosis) and it occurred later. Two separate mechanisms underlie direct heat necrosis and thermal enhancement of radiation damage.

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