Correlation Between Polymerase ß Activity and Thermal Radiosensitization in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

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Abstract
The efficacy of sparsely ionizing radiation in killing cells is enhanced when irradiation is combined with heat. The mechanisms of this so-called thermal radiosensitization are not yet completely understood, but there are several indications that the enhanced radiosensitivity is a consequence of impaired repair of radiation-induced damage in heated cells. Among the enzymes involved in the repair of DNA lesions, polymerase β is of particular importance since it performs the major portion of the repair synthesis. With respect to both our understanding of the molecular processes of DNA repair and the application of heat as an adjuvant to radiotherapy, it is of great interest to study whether the enhancement of radiation effects in heated cells is caused by reduced polymerase β activity.