Telomere length abnormalities in mammalian radiosensitive cells

Telomere lengths in radiosensitive murine lymphoma cells L5178Y-S and paren tal radioresistant L5178Y cells were measured by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization, Results revealed a 7-fold reduction in telomere leng th in radiosensitive cells (7 kb) in comparison with radioresistant cells ( 48 kb). Therefore, it was reasoned that telomere length might be used as a marker for chromosomal radiosensitivity, In agreement with this hypothesis, a significant inverse correlation between telomere length and chromosomal radiosensitivity was observed in lymphocytes from 24 breast cancer patients and 5 normal individuals. In contrast, no chromosomal radiosensitivity was observed in mouse cell lines that showed shortened telomeres, possibly ref lecting differences in radiation responses between primary cells and establ ished cell lines. Telomere Length abnormalities observed in radiosensitive cells suggest that these two phenotypes may be linked.