Cell division cycle 25 homolog c effects on low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity and induced radioresistance at elevated dosage in A549 cells

The underlying mechanisms behind both low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS) and induced radioresistance (IRR), generally occurring at elevated radiation levels, remain unclear; however, elucidation of the relationship between cell cycle division 25 homolog c (Cdc25c) phosphatase and HRS/IRR may provide important insights into this process. Two cell lines with disparate HRS status, A549 and SiHa cells, were selected as cell models for comparison of dose-dependent Cdc25c phosphatase expression subsequent to low-dose irradiation. Knockdown of Cdc25c in A549 cells was mediated by transfection with a pGCsi-RAN-U6neo vector containing hairpin siRNA sequences. S216-phosphorylated Cdc25c protein [p-Cdc25c (Ser216)], cell survival and mitotic ratio were measured by western blot, colony-forming assay and histone H3 phosphorylation analysis. Variant p-Cdc25c (Ser216) expression was observed in the two cell lines after irradiation. The p-Cdc25c (Ser216) expression noted in SiHa cells after administration of 0–1 Gy radiation was similar to the radioresistance model; however, in A549 cells, the dose response for the phosphorylation of the Cdc25c Ser216 residue overlapped the level required to overcome the HRS response. Furthermore, Cdc25c repression prior to low-dose radiation induced more distinct HRS and prevented the development of IRR. The dose required to overcome the HRS response coincided with the effect of early G2-phase checkpoint arrest in A549 cells (approximately 0.3 Gy), and Cdc25c knockdown in A549 cells (approximately 0.5 Gy) corresponded to the phosphorylation of the Cdc25c Ser216 residue. Resultant data confirmed that dose-dependent Cdc25c phosphatase does effectively act as an early G2-phase checkpoint, thus indicating mechanistic importance in the HRS to IRR transition in A549 cells.