DNA double-strand break induction in A549 cells with a single-bunch beam of laser-accelerated protons

Yogo, Akifumi; Maeda, Takuya; Sato, Katsutoshi; Nishikino, Masaharu; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Sakaki, Hironao; Hori, Toshihiko; Ogura, Koichi; Sagisaka, Akito; Orimo, Satoshi; Mori, Michiaki; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Bolton, P. R.; Kondo, Kiminori; Kawanishi, Shunichi; Murakami, Masao*; Teshima, Teruki*; Soda, Hikaru*; Noda, Akira*; Nishimura, Hiroaki*

Laser-acceleration of ions has been suggested as a potential basis for technology that is alternative to conventional accelerators for ion beam radiotherapy (IBRT). To investigate the effects of high dose rates that are attributed to high current, short bunch irradiation we have developed an experimental setup that uses laser-accelerated protons. In-vitro human lung cancer cells: A549 pulmonary adenocarcinoma are irradiated with laser-accelerated proton bunches with a duration of s and flux of cms, amounting to single bunch absorbed dose at the 1 Gy level. The double-strand break (DSB) yield in cell DNA is analyzed using the phosphorylated histone H2AX immunostaining method.