scholarly journals Attenuating the DNA damage response to double-strand breaks restores function in models of CNS neurodegeneration

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard I Tuxworth ◽  
Matthew J Taylor ◽  
Ane Martin Anduaga ◽  
Alaa Hussien-Ali ◽  
Sotiroula Chatzimatthaiou ◽  
...  

Abstract DNA double-strand breaks are a feature of many acute and long-term neurological disorders, including neurodegeneration, following neurotrauma and after stroke. Persistent activation of the DNA damage response in response to double-strand breaks contributes to neural dysfunction and pathology as it can force post-mitotic neurons to re-enter the cell cycle leading to senescence or apoptosis. Mature, non-dividing neurons may tolerate low levels of DNA damage, in which case muting the DNA damage response might be neuroprotective. Here, we show that attenuating the DNA damage response by targeting the meiotic recombination 11, Rad50, Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 complex, which is involved in double-strand break recognition, is neuroprotective in three neurodegeneration models in Drosophila and prevents Aβ1-42-induced loss of synapses in embryonic hippocampal neurons. Attenuating the DNA damage response after optic nerve injury is also neuroprotective to retinal ganglion cells and promotes dramatic regeneration of their neurites both in vitro and in vivo. Dorsal root ganglion neurons similarly regenerate when the DNA damage response is targeted in vitro and in vivo and this strategy also induces significant restoration of lost function after spinal cord injury. We conclude that muting the DNA damage response in the nervous system is neuroprotective in multiple neurological disorders. Our results point to new therapies to maintain or repair the nervous system.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard I. Tuxworth ◽  
Matthew J. Taylor ◽  
Ane Martin Anduaga ◽  
Alaa Hussien-Ali ◽  
Sotiroula Chatzimatthaiou ◽  
...  

AbstractDNA double-strand breaks are a feature of many acute and long-term neurological disorders, including neurodegeneration, following neurotrauma and after stroke. Persistent activation of the DNA damage response in response to double strand breaks contributes to neural dysfunction and pathology as it can force post-mitotic neurons to re-enter the cell cycle leading to senescence or apoptosis. Mature, non-dividing neurons may tolerate low levels of DNA damage, in which case muting the DNA damage response might be neuroprotective. Here, we show that attenuating the DNA damage response by targeting the meiotic recombination 11, Rad50, Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 complex, which is involved in double strand break recognition, is neuroprotective in three neurodegeneration models in Drosophila and prevents Aβ1-42-induced loss of synapses in embryonic hippocampal neurons. Attenuating the DNA damage response after optic nerve injury is also neuroprotective to retinal ganglion cells and promotes dramatic regeneration of their neurites both in vitro and in vivo. Dorsal root ganglion neurons similarly regenerate when the DNA damage response is targeted in vitro and in vivo and this strategy also induces significant restoration of lost function after spinal cord injury. We conclude that muting the DNA damage response in the nervous system is neuroprotective in multiple neurological disorders. Our results point to new therapies to maintain or repair the nervous system.


2018 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 06001
Author(s):  
R.A. Kozhina ◽  
V.N. Chausov ◽  
E.A. Kuzmina ◽  
A.V. Boreyko

One of the central problems of modern radiobiology is the study of DNA damage induction and repair mechanisms in central nervous system cells, in particular, in hippocampal cells. The study of the regularities of molecular damage formation and repair in the hippocampus cells is of special interest, because these cells, unlike most cells of the central nervous system (CNS), keep proliferative activity, i.e. ability to neurogenesis. Age-related changes in hippocampus play an important role, which could lead to radiosensitivity changes in neurons to the ionizing radiation exposure. Regularities in DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) induction and repair in different aged mice hippocampal cells in vivo and in vitro under the action of γ-rays 60Со were studied with DNA comet-assay. The obtained dose dependences of DNA DSB induction are linear both in vivo and in vitro. It is established that in young animals' cells, the degree of DNA damage is higher than in older animals. It is shown that repair kinetics is basically different for exposure in vivo and in vitro.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haohan Zhuang ◽  
Chaoqun Yao ◽  
Xianfeng Zhao ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Xueqiu Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate parasite of the warm-blooded animals with a worldwide distribution. Once having entered a host cell, it manipulates host’s DNA damage response that is yet to be investigated. The objectives of the present study were three-fold: 1) to assess DNA damages in T. gondii-infected cells in vitro; 2) to ascertain sources causing DNA damage in T. gondii-infected cells; 3) to investigate activation of DNA damage response during T. gondii infection.Methods: HeLa, Vero and HEK293 cells were infected with T. gondii at multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10:1. Infected cells at 10 h, 20 h or 30 h post infection were analyzed for a DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) biomarker γH2AX using Western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were examined using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), and the impact of ROS on DNA damage was assessed by inhibition using a ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Lastly, DNA damage response in these T. gondii-infected cells was evaluated by detecting the expression of active form of ataxia telangiectasia mutated/checkpoint kinase 2 (ATM/CHK2) with Western blot. Results: Compared to uninfected cells, γH2AX expression in the infected HeLa cells at 10 h, 20 h, and 30 h was increased over time during T. gondii infection. NAC treatment reduced ROS level in host cells and significantly decreased the expression of γH2AX. Expression of phosphorylated ATM/CHK2 was elevated in T. gondii-infected cells.Conclusion: T. gondii infection triggered DNA DSBs with ROS as a major player in host cells in vitro. It also concomitantly activated DNA damage response pathway ATM/CHK2. T. gondii struggles a balance between survival and apoptosis of its host cells for the benefit of its own survival.


NAR Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Statello ◽  
Mohamad M Ali ◽  
Silke Reischl ◽  
Sagar Mahale ◽  
Subazini Thankaswamy Kosalai ◽  
...  

Abstract Despite the rapid improvements in unveiling the importance of lncRNAs in all aspects of cancer biology, there is still a void in mechanistic understanding of their role in the DNA damage response. Here we explored the potential role of the oncogenic lncRNA SCAT7 (ELF3-AS1) in the maintenance of genome integrity. We show that SCAT7 is upregulated in response to DNA-damaging drugs like cisplatin and camptothecin, where SCAT7 expression is required to promote cell survival. SCAT7 silencing leads to decreased proliferation of cisplatin-resistant cells in vitro and in vivo through interfering with cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair molecular pathways. SCAT7 regulates ATR signaling, promoting homologous recombination. Importantly, SCAT7 also takes part in proteasome-mediated topoisomerase I (TOP1) degradation, and its depletion causes an accumulation of TOP1–cc structures responsible for the high levels of intrinsic DNA damage. Thus, our data demonstrate that SCAT7 is an important constituent of the DNA damage response pathway and serves as a potential therapeutic target for hard-to-treat drug resistant cancers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Huang ◽  
Chang Xu ◽  
Liang Deng ◽  
Xue Li ◽  
Zhixuan Bian ◽  
...  

AbstractPhosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS), an essential enzyme involved in de novo purine biosynthesis, is connected with formation of various tumors. However, the specific biological roles and related mechanisms of PAICS in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. In the present study, we identified for the first time that PAICS was significantly upregulated in GC and high expression of PAICS was correlated with poor prognosis of patients with GC. In addition, knockdown of PAICS significantly induced cell apoptosis, and inhibited GC cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies first found that PAICS was engaged in DNA damage response, and knockdown of PAICS in GC cell lines induced DNA damage and impaired DNA damage repair efficiency. Further explorations revealed that PAICS interacted with histone deacetylase HDAC1 and HDAC2, and PAICS deficiency decreased the expression of DAD51 and inhibited its recruitment to DNA damage sites by impairing HDAC1/2 deacetylase activity, eventually preventing DNA damage repair. Consistently, PAICS deficiency enhanced the sensitivity of GC cells to DNA damage agent, cisplatin (CDDP), both in vitro and in vivo. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that PAICS plays an oncogenic role in GC, which act as a novel diagnosis and prognostic biomarker for patients with GC.


2009 ◽  
Vol 284 (24) ◽  
pp. 16066-16070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navasona Krishnan ◽  
Dae Gwin Jeong ◽  
Suk-Kyeong Jung ◽  
Seong Eon Ryu ◽  
Andrew Xiao ◽  
...  

In mammalian cells, the DNA damage-related histone H2A variant H2A.X is characterized by a C-terminal tyrosyl residue, Tyr-142, which is phosphorylated by an atypical kinase, WSTF. The phosphorylation status of Tyr-142 in H2A.X has been shown to be an important regulator of the DNA damage response by controlling the formation of γH2A.X foci, which are platforms for recruiting molecules involved in DNA damage repair and signaling. In this work, we present evidence to support the identification of the Eyes Absent (EYA) phosphatases, protein-tyrosine phosphatases of the haloacid dehalogenase superfamily, as being responsible for dephosphorylating the C-terminal tyrosyl residue of histone H2A.X. We demonstrate that EYA2 and EYA3 displayed specificity for Tyr-142 of H2A.X in assays in vitro. Suppression of eya3 by RNA interference resulted in elevated basal phosphorylation and inhibited DNA damage-induced dephosphorylation of Tyr-142 of H2A.X in vivo. This study provides the first indication of a physiological substrate for the EYA phosphatases and suggests a novel role for these enzymes in regulation of the DNA damage response.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (51) ◽  
pp. E11961-E11969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai-Yuan Yu ◽  
Michael T. Kimble ◽  
Lorraine S. Symington

The Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2NBS1 complex plays important roles in the DNA damage response by activating the Tel1ATM kinase and catalyzing 5′–3′ resection at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). To initiate resection, Mre11 endonuclease nicks the 5′ strands at DSB ends in a reaction stimulated by Sae2CtIP. Accordingly, Mre11-nuclease deficient (mre11-nd) and sae2Δ mutants are expected to exhibit similar phenotypes; however, we found several notable differences. First, sae2Δ cells exhibit greater sensitivity to genotoxins than mre11-nd cells. Second, sae2Δ is synthetic lethal with sgs1Δ, whereas the mre11-nd sgs1Δ mutant is viable. Third, Sae2 attenuates the Tel1-Rad53CHK2 checkpoint and antagonizes Rad953BP1 accumulation at DSBs independent of Mre11 nuclease. We show that Sae2 competes with other Tel1 substrates, thus reducing Rad9 binding to chromatin and to Rad53. We suggest that persistent Sae2 binding at DSBs in the mre11-nd mutant counteracts the inhibitory effects of Rad9 and Rad53 on Exo1 and Dna2-Sgs1–mediated resection, accounting for the different phenotypes conferred by mre11-nd and sae2Δ mutations. Collectively, these data show a resection initiation independent role for Sae2 at DSBs by modulating the DNA damage checkpoint.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (17) ◽  
pp. 9449-9461
Author(s):  
Lea Milling Korsholm ◽  
Zita Gál ◽  
Blanca Nieto ◽  
Oliver Quevedo ◽  
Stavroula Boukoura ◽  
...  

Abstract DNA damage poses a serious threat to human health and cells therefore continuously monitor and repair DNA lesions across the genome. Ribosomal DNA is a genomic domain that represents a particular challenge due to repetitive sequences, high transcriptional activity and its localization in the nucleolus, where the accessibility of DNA repair factors is limited. Recent discoveries have significantly extended our understanding of how cells respond to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the nucleolus, and new kinases and multiple down-stream targets have been identified. Restructuring of the nucleolus can occur as a consequence of DSBs and new data point to an active regulation of this process, challenging previous views. Furthermore, new insights into coordination of cell cycle phases and ribosomal DNA repair argue against existing concepts. In addition, the importance of nucleolar-DNA damage response (n-DDR) mechanisms for maintenance of genome stability and the potential of such factors as anti-cancer targets is becoming apparent. This review will provide a detailed discussion of recent findings and their implications for our understanding of the n-DDR. The n-DDR shares features with the DNA damage response (DDR) elsewhere in the genome but is also emerging as an independent response unique to ribosomal DNA and the nucleolus.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haohan Zhuang ◽  
Chaoqun Yao ◽  
Xianfeng Zhao ◽  
Xueqiu Chen ◽  
Yimin Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate parasite of all warm-blooded animals around the globe. Once infecting a cell, it manipulates the host’s DNA damage response that is yet to be elucidated. The objectives of the present study were three-fold: (i) to assess DNA damages in T. gondii-infected cells in vitro; (ii) to ascertain causes of DNA damage in T. gondii-infected cells; and (iii) to investigate activation of DNA damage responses during T. gondii infection. Methods HeLa, Vero and HEK293 cells were infected with T. gondii at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10:1. Infected cells were analyzed for a biomarker of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) γH2AX at 10 h, 20 h or 30 h post-infection using both western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), and ROS-induced DNA damage was inhibited by a ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Lastly, DNA damage responses were evaluated by detecting the active form of ataxia telangiectasia mutated/checkpoint kinase 2 (ATM/CHK2) by western blot. Results γH2AX levels in the infected HeLa cells were significantly increased over time during T. gondii infection compared to uninfected cells. NAC treatment greatly reduced ROS and concomitantly diminished γH2AX in host cells. The phosphorylated ATM/CHK2 were elevated in T. gondii-infected cells. Conclusions Toxoplasma gondii infection triggered DNA DSBs with ROS as a major player in host cells in vitro. It also activated DNA damage response pathway ATM/CHK2. Toxoplasma gondii manages to keep a balance between survival and apoptosis of its host cells for the benefit of its own survival.


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