Guanine Residues In DNA Research Articles

DNA Repair and Mutagenesis of ADP-Ribosylated DNA by Pierisin.

Pierisin is a DNA-targeting ADP-ribosyltransferase found in cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae). Pierisin transfers an ADP-ribosyl moiety to the 2-amino group of the guanine residue in DNA, yielding N2-(ADP-ribos-1-yl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (N2-ADPR-dG). Generally, such chemically modified DNA is recognized as DNA damage and elicits cellular responses, including DNA repair pathways. In Escherichia coli and human cells, it has been experimentally demonstrated that N2-ADPR-dG is a substrate of the nucleotide excision repair system. Although DNA repair machineries can remove most lesions, some unrepaired damages frequently lead to mutagenesis through DNA replication. Replication past the damaged DNA template is called translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). In vitro primer extension experiments have shown that eukaryotic DNA polymerase κ is involved in TLS across N2-ADPR-dG. In many cases, TLS is error-prone and thus a mutagenic process. Indeed, the induction of G:C to T:A and G:C to C:G mutations by N2-ADPR-dG in the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene mutation assay with Chinese hamster cells and supF shuttle vector plasmids assay using human fibroblasts has been reported. This review provides a detailed overview of DNA repair, TLS and mutagenesis of N2-ADPR-dG induced by cabbage butterfly pierisin-1.

Interactions with DNA Models of the Oxaliplatin Analog (cis-1,3-DACH)PtCl2.

It is generally accepted that adjacent guanine residues in DNA are the primary target for platinum antitumor drugs and that differences in the conformations of the Pt-DNA adducts can play a role in their antitumor activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of the carrier ligand cis-1,3-diaminocyclohexane (cis-1,3-DACH) upon formation, stability, and stereochemistry of the (cis-1,3-DACH)PtG2 and (cis-1,3-DACH)Pt(d(GpG)) adducts (G = 9-EthlyGuanine, guanosine, 5'- and 3'-guanosine monophosphate; d(GpG) = deoxyguanosil(3'-5')deoxyguanosine). A peculiar feature of the cis-1,3-DACH carrier ligand is the steric bulk of the diamine, which is asymmetric with respect to the Pt-coordination plane. The (cis-1,3-DACH)Pt(5'GMP)2 and (cis-1,3-DACH)Pt(3'GMP)2 adducts show preference for the ΛHT and ∆HT conformations, respectively (HT stands for Head-to-Tail). Moreover, the increased intensity of the circular dichroism signals in the cis-1,3-DACH derivatives with respect to the analogous cis-(NH3)2 species could be a consequence of the greater bite angle of the cis-1,3-DACH carrier ligand with respect to cis-(NH3)2. Finally, the (cis-1,3-DACH)Pt(d(GpG)) adduct is present in two isomeric forms, each one giving a pair of H8 resonances linked by a NOE cross peak. The two isomers were formed in comparable amounts and had a dominance of the HH conformer but with some contribution of the ΔHT conformer which is related to the HH conformer by having the 3'-G base flipped with respect to the 5'-G residue.

A Label-Free Electrochemical Biosensor for Kanamycin Determination Based on Single-Stranded DNA Immobilized on Graphene-Cds-Chitosan Modified Electrode

Background: Overuse of antibiotics has become a serious ecological problem worldwide. It is necessary to monitor and control the pollution of antibiotics. Kanamycin is a representative antibiotic and has widely been used to treat a wide variety of infections. Although different methods have been established for kanamycin detection, it is still of great significance to develop new sensing approach to kanamycin monitoring. Methods: Graphene and Cadmium Sulphide (GR-CdS) nanocomposites were dispersed in 0.035% chitosan (CHIT) aqueous solution containing 0.52% acetic acid. Then, Glass Carbon Electrode (GCE) surface was coated with 5 µL of 1 mg·mL-1 GR-CdS suspension. The GR-CdS-CHIT modified electrode was immersed in 0.5 mg mL-1 single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) solution and 0.5 V potential was applied for 200 s to immobilize ssDNA on the electrode surface. Results: GR-CdS-CHIT dramatically promoted the electrochemical oxidation response of guanine residue in DNA. ssDNA exhibited higher oxidation peak current than double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Under optimal conditions, ssDNA/GR-CdS-CHIT/GCE was prepared and used as the sensor to determine kanamycin, which showed a linear response to kanamycin in the concentration range of 0.10 to 1.0 mg mL-1. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to monitoring photodegradation of kanamycin. Conclusion: ssDNA was effectively immobilized on GR-CdS-CHIT modified electrode and exhibited high electrochemical oxidation response. When kanamycin was present in the solution, the electrochemical oxidation peak current of ssDNA on the modified electrode declined due to the interaction between kanamycin and DNA. Thus, a novel electrochemical DNA biosensor for kanamycin was successfully developed. Keywords: CdS, differential pulse voltammetry, graphene, kanamycin, photodegradation, single-stranded DNA.

Substrate N2 atom recognition mechanism in pierisin family DNA-targeting, guanine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase ScARP

ScARP from the bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor belongs to the pierisin family of DNA-targeting ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs). These enzymes ADP-ribosylate the N2 amino groups of guanine residues in DNA to yield N2-(ADP-ribos-1-yl)-2'-deoxyguanosine. Although the structures of pierisin-1 and Scabin were revealed recently, the substrate recognition mechanisms remain poorly understood because of the lack of a substrate-binding structure. Here, we report the apo structure of ScARP and of ScARP bound to NADH and its GDP substrate at 1.50 and 1.57 Å resolutions, respectively. The bound structure revealed that the guanine of GDP is trapped between N-ribose of NADH and Trp-159. Interestingly, N2 and N3 of guanine formed hydrogen bonds with the OE1 and NE2 atoms of Gln-162, respectively. We directly observed that the ADP-ribosylating toxin turn-turn (ARTT)-loop, including Trp-159 and Gln-162, plays a key role in the specificity of DNA-targeting, guanine-specific ARTs as well as protein-targeting ARTs such as the C3 exoenzyme. We propose that the ARTT-loop recognition is a common substrate-recognition mechanism in the pierisin family. Furthermore, this complex structure sheds light on similarities and differences among two subclasses that are distinguished by conserved structural motifs: H-Y-E in the ARTD subfamily and R-S-E in the ARTC subfamily. The spatial arrangements of the electrophile and nucleophile were the same, providing the first evidence for a common reaction mechanism in these ARTs. ARTC (including ScARP) uses the ARTT-loop for substrate recognition, whereas ARTD (represented by Arr) uses the C-terminal helix instead of the ARTT-loop. These observations could help inform efforts to improve ART inhibitors.

Hydrogen Evolution Facilitates Reduction of DNA Guanine Residues at the Hanging Mercury Drop Electrode: Evidence for a Chemical Mechanism

AbstractGuanine (G), as well as G residues in nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleic acids, undergo chemically reversible (but electrochemically irreversible) reduction/oxidation processes at the mercury‐based electrodes. It has been established that G is reduced to 7,8‐dihydroguanine at highly negative potentials. The reduction product is oxidized back to G around −0.25 V, giving rise to anodic peak G. Previous studies suggested involvement of a chemical mechanism involving electrochemically generated hydrogen radicals in the G reduction process. In this work we studied effects of cisplatin and pH on the G reduction process. We have found that catalytic hydrogen evolution accompanying electrochemical reduction of cisplatin markedly facilitates reduction of G. Minimum negative potential required for G reduction were shifted to less negative values and correlated with the onset of catalytic currents of cisplatin. Analogous shifts of the potential of G reduction were observed upon lowering pH of the background electrolyte (i.e., increasing the availability of protons to generate hydrogen radicals). Ammonium ions markedly increased efficiency of G reduction, which may be explained by generation of active hydrogen via formation and subsequent decomposition of ammonium amalgam. Our results strongly suggest that chemical mechanism(s) involving hydrogen radicals, electrochemically and/or electrocatalytically generated at the HMDE, contribute to the guanine → 7,8‐dihydroguanine conversion.

Effects of stability of base pairs containing an oxazolone on DNA elongation.

The nucleoside 2,2,4-triamino-5(2H)-oxazolone (Oz) can result from oxidative damage to guanine residues in DNA. Despite differences among the three polymerases (Pol β, KF exo−, and Pol η) regarding nucleotide incorporation patterns opposite Oz, all three polymerases can incorporate guanine opposite Oz. Based on ab initio calculations, we proposed a structure for a stable Oz:G base pair. Here, to assess the stability of each Oz-containing base pair (Oz:G, Oz:A, Oz:C, and Oz:T) upon DNA replication, we determined the efficiency of Pol β-, KF exo−-, or Pol η-catalyzed primer extension beyond each base pair. With each polymerase, extension beyond Oz:G was more efficient than that beyond Oz:A, Oz:C, or Oz:T. Moreover, thermal denaturation studies revealed that the T m value for the duplex containing Oz:G was significantly higher than those obtained for duplexes containing Oz:A, Oz:C, or Oz:T. Therefore, the results from ab initio calculations along with those from DNA replication assays and thermal denaturation experiments supported the conclusion that Oz:G is the most stable of the Oz-containing base pairs.

DNA Replication and Telomere Shortening: Key Factors Related to the Production of C3-Aldehydes and the Interaction of One of them with DNA Guanine Residues

The ketoaldehyde methylglyoxal (MG) is an aldehyde produced during aging. During cellular senescence, the ultimate and irreversible loss of replicative capacity of somatic cells takes place. The aging process needs to be explored carefully, as the well-known aging theory requires two additional ideas. One of these ideas is related to the MG-dependent loss of the hole-trapping property of the minor groove of DNA structure. The second idea pertains to local restriction and telomere shortening, which show some resemblance to the Olovnikov-Blackburn model. The ordering of such preliminary shortening is to eliminate the flawed part of the telomere and to expose the telomere to the activity of helicase.

The effect of pomegranate juice as a natural antioxidant to prevent DNA damages is detectable by application of electrochemical methods

The effects of ascorbic acid concentration in pomegranate juice as an antioxidant and its bi-functional role in Fenton reaction was investigated. Hydroxyl radical (OH.) produced through Fenton reaction plays a major role in the formation of DNA oxidative damage. The study of DNA damage by Fenton reaction was performed using Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE). The damaged DNA is adsorbed on the electrochemically modified GCE, and results in oxidative peaks corresponding to the oxidized adenine and guanine residues in DNA. The effects of hydroxyl-radical scavenger (glucose), Fe2+ as reactant and EDTA as iron chelator on the DNA damage were also investigated. The proposed electrochemical method can be used for the estimation of DNA oxidative damage from a new point of view.

A Strategy for Selective O6‐Alkylguanine‐DNA Alkyltransferase Depletion Under Hypoxic Conditions

Cellular resistance to chemotherapeutics that alkylate the O-6 position of guanine residues in DNA correlates with their O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity. In normal cells high [O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase] is beneficial, sparing the host from toxicity, whereas in tumor cells high [O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase] prevents chemotherapeutic response. Therefore, it is necessary to selectively inactivate O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase in tumors. The oxygen-deficient compartment unique to solid tumors is conducive to reduction, and could be utilized to provide this selectivity. Therefore, we synthesized 2-nitro-6-benzyloxypurine, an analog of O(6)-benzylguanine in which the essential 2-amino group is replaced by a nitro moiety, and 2-nitro-6-benzyloxypurine is >2000-fold weaker than O(6)-benzylguanine as an O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase inhibitor. We demonstrate oxygen concentration sensitive net reduction of 2-nitro-6-benzyloxypurine by cytochrome P450 reductase, xanthine oxidase, and EMT6, DU145, and HL-60 cells to yield O(6)-benzylguanine. We show that 2-nitro-6-benzyloxypurine treatment depletes O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase in intact cells under oxygen-deficient conditions and selectively sensitizes cells to laromustine (an agent that chloroethylates the O-6 position of guanine) under oxygen-deficient but not normoxic conditions. 2-Nitro-6-benzyloxypurine represents a proof of concept lead compound; however, its facile reduction (E(1/2) - 177 mV versus Ag/AgCl) may result in excessive oxidative stress and/or the generation of O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase inhibitors in normoxic regions in vivo.

Luminescent Ir(III) Complex Exclusively Made of Polypyridine Ligands Capable of Intercalating into Calf-Thymus DNA

Efficient intercalation of a luminescent Ir(III) complex exclusively made of polypyridine ligands in natural and synthetic biopolymers is reported for the first time. The emission of the complex is largely enhanced in the presence of [poly(dA-dT)(2)] and strongly quenched in the presence of [poly(dG-dC)(2)]. By comparing the emission decays in DNA and in synthetic polynucleotides, it is proposed that the emission quenching of the title compound by guanine residues in DNA is no longer effective over a distance of four dA-dT base pairs.

Mass spectrometry evidence for cisplatin as a protein cross-linking reagent.

Cisplatin is a potent anticancer drug, which functions by cross-linking adjacent DNA guanine residues. However within 1 day of injection, 65-98% of the platinum in the blood plasma is protein-bound. It is generally accepted that cisplatin binds to methionine and histidine residues, but what is often underappreciated is that platinum from cisplatin has a 2+ charge and can form up to four bonds. Thus, it has the potential to function as a cross-linker. In this report, the cross-linking ability of cisplatin is demonstrated by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) with the use of standard peptides, the 16.8 kDa protein calmodulin (CaM), but was unsuccessful for the 64 kDa protein hemoglobin. The high resolution and mass accuracy of FTICR MS along with the high degree of fragmentation of large peptides afforded by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) and electron capture dissociation (ECD) are shown to be a valuable means of characterizing cross-linking sites. Cisplatin is different from current cross-linking reagents by targeting new functional groups, thioethers, and imidazoles groups, which provides complementarity with existing cross-linkers. In addition, platinum(II) inherently has two positive charges which enhance the detection of cross-linked products. Higher charge states not only promote the detection of cross-linking products with less purification but result in more comprehensive MS/MS fragmentation and can assist in the assignment of modification sites. Moreover, the unique isotopic pattern of platinum flags cross-linking products and modification sites by mass spectrometry.

Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine correlate with hallucinations rather than motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease

BackgroundOxidative stress is causally associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Oxygen generates a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS including hydroxyl radicals and H2O2 react with guanine residues in DNA and produce 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). 8-OHdG serves as a biomarker for oxidative stress in various diseases. MethodWe investigated urinary 8-OHdG levels in 61 PD patients and 28 normal subjects to evaluate the correlation with various clinical features. We quantified disease severity using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale for motor symptoms (UPDRS part 3), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for mental function, and the Tottori University Hallucination Rating Scale (TUHARS) for quantifying hallucinations. ResultsThere were significant correlations between 8-OHdG and all the examined parameters, but the partial correlation coefficients excluding contributions of all the other parameters showed that only TUHARS and UPDRS part 3 are significantly related to 8-OHdG. In particular, TUHARS correlates best with urinary 8-OHdG levels. ConclusionThe significant correlation between urinary 8-OHdG levels and hallucinations but not with dementia suggests that hallucinations are likely to have unique but unidentified mechanisms that lead to excessive production of 8-OHdG.

Temozolomide-Induced Myelodysplasia

A patient who had received temozolomide (TMZ) as a single agent in treatment of malignant glioma developed therapy-induced myelodysplasia (T-MDS). TMZ is an orally active imidazotetrazine which methylates guanine residues in DNA, ultimately causing single and double-strand DNA breaks leading to apoptotic cell death. TMZ does not chemically cross-link DNA and is considered a nonclassical alkylating agent, similar in structure and activity to dacarbazine. Observations on this patient, and on similarly treated others, suggest that the cumulative dose threshold (CDT) for TMZ that predisposes to T-MDS and which may potentially lead to acute myeloid leukemia (T-AML) is around 18000 to 20000 mg/sq m. Although the incidence of T-MDS and the predisposing CDT of TMZ may differ from that of other potentially leukemogenic compounds currently and formerly used as chemotherapeutic agents, all alkylating agents, including TMZ, should be considered potentially leukemogenic when administered long term.

Antitumor Psoropermum Xanthones and Sarcomelicope Acridones: Privileged Structures Implied in DNA Alkylation

Fused isopropylfuran and dimethylpyran units are privileged structures present in numerous bioactive natural products exemplified, in the field of anticancer drugs, by the furanoxanthone psorospermin and the pyranoacridone acronycine. Psorospermin binds to the N-7 position of the guanine units in the presence of topoisomerase II. In contrast, acronycine derivatives such as cis-1,2-diacetoxy-1,2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine alkylate the 2-amino group of DNA guanine residues in the minor groove. Hybrid compounds associating the acridone or benzo[b]acridone chromophore of acronycine derivatives and the epoxyfuran alkylating unit present in psorospermin also display very potent antiproliferative activities, alkylating DNA guanine units at position N-7 in the major groove, as natural xanthones belonging to the psorospermin series.

Electrochemical Study on DNA Damage Based on the Direct Oxidation of 8‐Hydroxydeoxyguanosine at an Electrochemically Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

AbstractThe study of DNA damage induced by Fenton reaction (Fe2+/H2O2) in vitro was performed based on the direct electrochemical oxidation of 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8‐OH‐dG), the biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, at an electrochemically modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The effects of antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, and hydroxyl‐radical scavenger (mannitol) on the DNA damage were also investigated. 8‐OH‐dG, the oxidation product of guanine residues in DNA, has shown significantly oxidative peak on the electrochemically modified GCE. The oxidative peak current of 8‐OH‐dG was linear with the damaged DNA concentration in the range of 10–200 mg/L. The experimental results demonstrate that ascorbic acid has ambivalent effect on DNA oxidative stress. It can promote DNA oxidative damage when ascorbic acid concentration is below 1.5 mM and protect DNA from damage in the range of 1.5–2.5 mM. As a hydroxyl‐radical scavenger, mannitol inhibits significantly DNA oxidative damage. The influence of Fe2+, as reactant, and EDTA as iron chelator in the system were also studied. The proposed electrochemical method can be used for the estimation of DNA oxidative damage from new point of view.

Structure-activity relationships in the acronycine and benzo[b]acronycine series: Role of the pyran ring

The pyranoacridone alkaloid acronycine (1), originally isolated from Acronychia baueri Schott (Rutaceae), has shown interesting properties against solid tumors. Significant improvements in terms of solubility and potency were obtained with derivatives modified in the pyran ring, such as diesters of cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydroacronycine (2) and cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine (3). Their mechanism of action implies alkylation of the 2-amino group of DNA guanine residues by the carbocation resulting from the elimination of the ester leaving group at position 1 of the drug.

Incorporation of Oxidized Guanine Nucleoside 5′-Triphosphates in DNA with DNA Polymerases and Preparation of Single-Lesion Carrying DNA

We investigated the incorporation of oxidatively modified guanine residues in DNA using three DNA polymerases, Escherichia coli Kf exo+, Kf exo-, and Taq DNA polymerase. We prepared nucleoside 5'-triphosphates with modified bases (dN (ox)TP) including imidazolone associated with oxazolone (dIzTP/dZTP), dehydroguanidinohydantoin (dOGhTP), and oxaluric acid (dOxaTP). We showed that the single-nucleotide incorporation of these dN (ox)TP at the 3'-end of a primer DNA strand was possible opposite C or G for dIzTP/dZTP, opposite C for dOGhTP using the Klenow fragment, and opposite C for dOxaTP using Taq. The efficiency of these misincorporations was compared to that of the nucleoside 5'-triphosphate modified with the mutagenic guanine lesion 8-oxo-G opposite A or C as well as to that of the natural dNTPs. The reaction was found not competitive. However, the ability of Kf exo- to further copy the whole template DNA strand from the primer carrying one modified residue at the 3'-end proved to be easy and rapid. The two-step polymerization process consisting of the single-nucleotide extension followed by the full extension of a primer afforded a method for the preparation of tailored double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides carrying a single modified base at a precise site on any sequence. This very rapid method allowed the incorporation of unique residues in DNA that were not available before due to their unstable character.

Effects of flexible bridging ligands on DNA-binding of dinuclear ruthenium(II)-2,2′-bipyridine complexes

For reactions of [{RuCl(bpy) 2} 2(μ-BL)] 2+ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, BL = H 2N(CH 2) n NH 2 ( n = 4–8, 12), [ Ru 2- BL] 2+) with mononucleotides, the MLCT absorption bands of [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ blue-shifted with hyperchromism for GMP and hypochromism for TMP with time. Reactions of [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ with GMP or TMP proceed via initial Cl − ions replacement by coordination to N7 of GMP and N3 of TMP, respectively. In competition binding experiments for [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ with GMP versus TMP, only GMP selectively coordinated to ruthenium(II). For reactions with calf thymus (CT) DNA, [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ complexes selectively bind to guanine residues of DNA. The higher degrees of binding of [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ to CT-DNA were observed with increasing n values for H 2N(CH 2) n NH 2, which may be explained by the length of the bridging ligands. Studies on the inhibition of the restriction enzyme Acc I revealed that [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ complexes appear to be covalently favorable for the type of difunctional binding. In addition, it is very interesting to observe that circular dichroism spectroscopy of the supernatants obtained following the reactions of CT-DNA with racemic [ Ru 2- BL] 2+ show enrichments of the solutions in the ΔΔ isomers, demonstrating preferences of the ΛΛ isomers for covalent binding to CT-DNA.

MGMT germline polymorphism is associated with somatic MGMT promoter methylation and gene silencing in colorectal cancer

O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) repairs inappropriately methylated guanine residues in DNA. MGMT promoter methylation and gene silencing are common events in colorectal cancer, and may or may not co-exist with the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). To date, no study has examined the relationship between MGMT promoter methylation and common MGMT single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which have been associated with colorectal cancer risk. Utilizing real-time polymerase chain reaction (MethyLight technology), we quantified DNA methylation in MGMT and eight other markers (a CIMP diagnostic panel including CACNA1G, CDKN2A, CRABP1, IGF2, MLH1, NEUROG1, RUNX3 and SOCS1 in 182 colorectal cancers collected from two prospective cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. We genotyped four MGMT germline SNPs in normal DNA and assessed microsatellite instability (MSI), 18q loss of heterozygosity and KRAS and BRAF status in tumors. The presence of a common MGMT promoter SNP (NM_002412.2:c.-56C>T) (rs16906252) was strongly associated with MGMT methylation (multivariate odds ratio 18.0; 95% confidence interval, 6.2-52.1, P < 0.0001). The presence of the c.-56C>T SNP was also associated with loss of MGMT expression in tumors (assessed by immunohistochemistry) (P = 0.009). This promoter SNP was not correlated with KRAS, BRAF, CIMP or MSI status. None of the other three non-promoter SNPs was significantly associated with any molecular changes tested. In conclusion, we have found a strong association between the germline polymorphism (c.-56C>T) of the MGMT promoter and promoter methylation/silencing of MGMT in colorectal cancer. Our data provide compelling evidence for common susceptibility for MGMT promoter CpG island methylation.

In vitro evaluation of the PARP inhibitor ABT-888 in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of pediatric leukemia

9528 Background: The alkylating agent temozolomide exerts its primary cytotoxic activity through the addition to O6 methyl adducts to guanine residues in DNA, and temozolomide resistance results either from increased expression of methyl-guanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), which removes O6 adducts, or from mutations in the mismatch repair system (MRS), which lead to microsatellite instability (MSI). Temozolomide also creates N3 and N7 methyl adducts that are efficiently removed by the base excision repair (BER) system. PARP inhibitors block BER and may potentiate the cytotoxic effects of temozolomide. Methods: The cytotoxicity of temozolomide in combination with the PARP inhibitor ABT-888 was evaluated in vitro in leukemia cell lines and primary leukemia cells using the MTT assay. PARP activity was measured using a commercially available PARP assay. Results: ABT-888 effectively enhanced temozolomide cytotoxicity in cell lines with elevated MGMT (Jurkat and HSB2 T-cell ALL cell lines) or MRS deficiencies (Jurkat and Molt-4 T cell ALL). The temozolomide IC50 decreased from 450 μM to 35 μM at an ABT-888 concentration of 5 μM in the Jurkat T-cell ALL cell line and from 340 μM to 7.5 μM in the HSB2 T-cell line. ABT-888 also enhanced temozolomide cytotoxicity in non-T-cell leukemia subtypes, decreasing the IC50 in the JM1 pre-B ALL cell line from 51 μM to 7.7 μM and decreasing the IC50 from 316 μM to 22 μM in tumor cells obtained from a patient with pre-B ALL. PARP activity was also examined. In contrast, the sensitivity of U937 AML cells to temozolomide showed no effect of the addition of a PARP inhibitor. These results are consistent with the findings that these cells have low or undetectable MGMT and no MSI to suggest MRS mutations. Conclusion: These results suggest that ABT-888 may enhance the cytotoxic activity of temozolomide in leukemia patients whose tumors are resistant to temozolomide because of elevated MGMT expression and mismatch repair defects. No significant financial relationships to disclose.