We performed experiments to determine the effects of ionizing radiatio
n exposure on expression of genes such as beta-actin, c-fos, histone H
4, c-myc, c-jun, Rb, and p53 after exposure of Syrian hamster embryo (
SHE) cells to the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. The purpo
se of these experiments was to determine the role of a labile protein
in the radiation-induced response. The results revealed that when ioni
zing radiation (either fission-spectrum neutrons or gamma rays) was ad
ministered 15 min after cycloheximide treatment of SHE cells, the radi
ation exposure reduced cycloheximide-mediated gene induction of c-fos,
histone H4, and c-jun. In addition, dose-rate differences were found
when radiation exposure most significantly inhibited the cycloheximide
response. Our results suggest that ionizing radiation does not act as
a general protein-synthesis inhibitor and that the presence of a labi
le protein is required for the maintenance of specific gene transcript
ion and mRNA accumulation after radiation exposure, especially at high
dose-rates. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.