Sensitization Effects of Hyperthermia on Bleomycininduced DNA Strand Breaks and Replication Inhibition in CHO-$K_1$ Cells in Vitro

Effects of hyperthermia on the induction of DNA single strand breaks and replication inhibition were studied in bleomycin-treated CHO-K$_1$ cells by alkaline elution and alkaline sucrose gradient sedimentation. Bleomycin-induced DNA single strand breaks of DNA were dose-and time-dependently increased, and these strand breaks of DNA were gradually rejoined as post-incubation time passed. Treatment with hyperthermia alone did not affect the induction of DNA single strand breaks. However, pre-exposure of cells to hyperthermia followed by bleomycin treatment greatly increased the single strand breaks, and also reduced the rejoining processes of bleomycin-induced DNA single strand breaks. Bleomycin selectively inhibited the replicon initiation. The combined treatment with hyperthermia and bleomycin markedly potentiated the nonspecific inhibition of replication.