Abstract

The most striking feature of ataxia telangiectasia (AT) cells is their profound sensitivity to ionising radiation. A deficiency in the rejoining of radiation induced DNA breaks has been suggested to be responsible for AT radiosensitivity; however, the existing literature is controversial. A subpopulation, which is present in irradiated AT lymphoblasts, but rarely in controls, has been reported previously. The cells that make up this subpopulation harbour highly fragmented DNA and are responsible for the overall increase in DNA breaks soon after irradiation in AT lymphoblasts. This study examines the influence of the cell cycle on the highly damaged subpopulation. The frequency of highly damaged cells was highest when AT lymphoblasts were irradiated during the G2/M phase. In contrast, AT lymphoblasts irradiated during the G0/G1 phase displayed a frequency similar to control cells. Thus, only G2/M and to some extent S phase cells contribute to an increased DNA break number in AT lymphoblasts early after irradiation. These findings might explain several inconsistencies reported in the literature.