Synchrotron-based infrared microspectroscopy study on the biomolecular impact of carbon minibeam radiation therapy on a mouse osteosarcoma cell line
González Vegas, Roberto (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Cots Costa, Martina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Gilbert, Cristele (Institut Curie)
Bertho, Annaïg (Institut Curie)
Seksek, Olivier (Université Paris-Saclay)
Graeff, Christian (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung)
Sokol, Olga (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung)
Tinganelli, Walter (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung)
Prezado, Yolanda (Institut Curie)
Yousef, Ibraheem (Laboratori de Llum del Sincrotró ALBA)
Martínez-Rovira, Immaculada (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	Carbon minibeam radiation therapy (CMBRT) is a novel oncology treatment modality that combines the superior radiobiological properties of carbon ions with the remarkable tissue-sparing effects of spatial dose fractionation. Nevertheless, the differential biological mechanisms that CMBRT activates are not fully understood. To shed further light on such biomolecular processes, this study analysed the impact of CMBRT on LM8 osteosarcoma cells using synchrotron-based infrared microspectroscopy (SR-FTIRM). Samples were subjected to conventional carbon RT (CBB) and CMBRT at GSI (Germany). RT-treated cells underwent SR-FTIRM evaluations at ALBA Synchrotron (Spain) at 24 h post-RT. Principal component analysis (PCA) uncovered the main spectral differences between the treatment modalities, revealing that the IR signatures of CMBRT-treated samples were the most dissimilar from Control cells. Modifications of IR peaks attributed to α-helical and β-sheet protein sub-structures were consistent with the alterations of the Amide I spectral band due to CMBRT (assessed via curve-fitting analysis), suggesting enhanced protein oxidation. Conformational alterations in the sugar-phosphate backbone of nucleic acids might also have resulted from further oxidative damage due to CMBRT. Additionally, CMBRT led to greater alterations of methylene and methyl bands compared to CBB, which may have been caused by free radical attacks. Spectral signatures in the CMBRT valleys differed from those in the CMBRT peaks, suggesting distinct biomolecular mechanisms involved in these two dose regions. Comparison with proton and neon irradiations revealed common IR features affected by MBRT modalities.
Grants:	European Commission 817908 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-114079RA-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades RYC2018-024043-I Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades PRE2021-097298 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-00607
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Note:	This study was supported by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (IDEAS21849MART).
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy ; Minibeam radiation therapy ; Carbon therapy ; In vitro studies
Published in:	Infrared Physics and Technology, Vol. 152 (January 2026) , art. 106247, ISSN 1350-4495

DOI: 10.1016/j.infrared.2025.106247

13 p, 7.7 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > The ALBA Synchrotron
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles