α-Particle-induced DNA damage tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of [ 223 Ra]RaCl 2 -treated prostate cancer patients

One therapy option for prostate cancer patients with bone metastases is the use of [ Ra]RaCl . The α-emitter Ra creates DNA damage tracks along α-particle trajectories (α-tracks) in exposed cells that can be revealed by immunofluorescent staining of γ-H2AX+53BP1 DNA double-strand break markers. We investigated the time- and absorbed dose-dependency of the number of α-tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients undergoing their first therapy with [ Ra]RaCl . Multiple blood samples from nine prostate cancer patients were collected before and after administration of [ Ra]RaCl , up to 4 weeks after treatment. γ-H2AX- and 53BP1-positive α-tracks were microscopically quantified in isolated and immuno-stained PBMCs. The absorbed doses to the blood were less than 6 mGy up to 4 h after administration and maximally 16 mGy in total. Up to 4 h after administration, the α-track frequency was significantly increased relative to baseline and correlated with the absorbed dose to the blood in the dose range