Expression of delayed cell death and DNA repair in human epithelial cell lines following exposure to ultraviolet radiation

The long term effects of WA and UVB have been investigated using two human epithelial cell lines, HTori-3 (a human thyroid epithelial cell line) and 340 RPE-T53 (a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line). There was a marked difference in clonogenic survival following exposure between the two cell lines. DNA repair studies were undertaken using ara-C treatment. Ara-C administered immediately after UVB exposure, reduced survival in both cell lines indicating that DNA repair was inhibited. The plating efficiency, as an index of delayed cell death of both cell lines measured up to 20 population doublings following exposure to UV was reduced in a dose dependent manner after exposure to UVB but not to WA.