Cytometric analysis of the proliferative capacity of HUT 102 Lymphoblasts exposed to long-wave UV light and psoralen

Cultures of HUT 102 lymphoblasts, comprised of near-diploid and hyperdiploid cells (11 and 22 pg of DNA/nucleus), were irradiated for 2 h by long wave ultraviolet light (UV-A) (2.1 mW/cm²), reacted for the same time in the dark with suprapharmacologic concentrations of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) (15 αg/ml) and exposed to 8-MOP and UV-A (PUVA) under identical conditions. Flow cytometric determinations of cellular DNA content and IdUrd incorporation indicated that UV-A irradiated cells incorporated IdUrd at the control levels and that the number of cells in S and G₂ + M phases of the cell cycle likewise were identical to controls. The dark reaction of HUT 102 cells with 8-MOP has, however, resulted in a transient increase of IdUrd incorporation, but it has not affected cellular proliferation rates. On the other hand, no IdUrd incorporation was detected after PUVA. The analysis of the DNA content of intact and PUVA-exposed cultures showed that the number of near-diploid S-phase cells was greater 24 h after PUVA, whereas the number of hyperdiploid cells in all phases of the cell cycle had decreased. Under stated conditions the viability of HUT 102 cells and their cell cycle disturbances by PUVA are determined in part by the amount of DNA in target lymphoblasts.