General information
Technological advancements in laser-generated electron acceleration enable precise targeting of high-energy radiation beams to cells with minimal side scattering. Combining this therapy with chemical agents that modify the tumor microenvironment is of particular interest. Exosomes derived from tumors are closely linked to tumor growth and metastasis. Previous studies showed that inhibiting exosome secretion negatively impacts tumor cell proliferation, but the effect of combining exosome inhibition with radiotherapy remains unexplored. We recently demonstrated that laser-accelerated electron irradiation causes DNA damage with a slower repair rate compared to X-rays. In this study, we aim to explore potential changes in radiosensitization of normal and cancer cells exposed to accelerated electron irradiation combined with exosome inhibition. Our research will utilize MRC5 (normal), MCF-7 (cancer), and HeLa (cancer) cell lines. The comet assay will serve as a standard genotoxicity test, while the FISH method will analyze telomere length. Additionally, cell-free DNA will be assessed as a novel biomarker for radiation exposure, a field yet to be explored with accelerated electrons. The results may identify new molecular targets for enhancing cancer cell radiosensitization.
