Clonal aberrations in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells after irradiation with X-rays and high energetic carbon ions

The increasing application of heavy ions in radiotherapy and the growing interest in protracted space travels are a strong motivation to expand the fundamental research in radiation biology. With respect to long term effects in different cell systems, in the majority of studies the occurrence of chromosomal aberrations is assessed, but only in lymphocytes. However, the investigation using hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) which are responsible for the permanent renewal of all blood cells, seem to be more appropriate. For this reason we are interested, if the irradiation of HSPC with X-rays or carbon ions has different effects on the occurrence of chromosomal aberrations and the clonal transmission to subsequent generations. As observed in lymphocytes, both radiation qualities induce distinct types of damage in affected cells [1]. Thus the complexity of DNA damages varies highly, whereas carbon ions should produce more complex chromosomal aberrations than X-rays.