Increased γH2AX Foci Research Articles

Long intergenic non-coding RNA induced by X-ray irradiation regulates DNA damage response signaling in the human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cell line.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been regarded as the primary genetic regulators of several important biological processes. However, the biological functions of lncRNAs in radiation-induced lung damage remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the potential effects of lncRNAs on radiation-induced lung injury (RILI). Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 12 Gy single doses of total body irradiation (TBI). LncRNA microarray screening was conducted at 24 h post-irradiation (IR) to investigate the differentially-expressed lncRNAs during RILI. Following the subsequent bioinformatics analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) validation, one of the verified differentially-expressed long intergenic radiation-responsive ncRNAs (LIRRs), LIRR1, was selected for further functional study. The normal human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cell line was used as the cell model. The recombinant eukaryotic expression vector for the lncRNA was designed, constructed and transfected using lipofectamine. RT-PCR, clonogenic and flow cytometry assays, immunofluorescence detection and western blot analysis were performed to reveal the role of the lncRNA in the radiosensitivity regulation of the RILI target cells. In lung tissues 24 h after 12 Gy TBI, six of the identified differentially-expressed LIRRs near the coding genes were validated using quantitative (q)PCR. The upregulation of two LIRRs was observed and confirmed using qPCR. LIRR1 was chosen for further functional study. Following the stable transfection of LIRR1, identified through G418 screening, increased radiosensitivity, evident cell cycle G1 phase arrest and increased γ-H2AX foci formation were observed in the bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cell line subsequent to IR. LIRR1 overexpression also led to decreased expression of the KU70, KU80 and RAD50 DNA repair proteins, marked activation of p53, decreased mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) expression, and substantially induced p21 and suppressed cyclin-dependent kinase 2 in BEAS-2B following IR. Subsequent to the use of Pifithrin-α, a specific inhibitor of p53 activation, increased MDM2 expression was observed in the LIRR1-overexpressing cells, suggesting that LIRR1 could mediate the DNA damage response (DDR) signaling in a p53-dependent manner. The present study provides a novel mechanism for RILI, using the concept of lncRNAs.

Smoking cessation reverses DNA double-strand breaks in human mononuclear cells.

ObjectiveCigarette smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for a significant proportion of smoking-related deaths. However, the precise mechanism whereby smoking induces this pathology has not been fully delineated. Based on observation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), the most harmful type of DNA damage, in atherosclerotic lesions, we hypothesized that there is a direct association between smoking and DSBs. The goal of this study was to investigate whether smoking induces DSBs and smoking cessation reverses DSBs in vivo through examination of peripheral mononuclear cells (MNCs).Approach and ResultsImmunoreactivity of oxidative modification of DNA and DSBs were increased in human atherosclerotic lesions but not in the adjacent normal area. DSBs in human MNCs isolated from the blood of volunteers can be detected as cytologically visible “foci” using an antibody against the phosphorylated form of the histone H2AX (γ-H2AX). Young healthy active smokers (n = 15) showed increased γ-H2AX foci number when compared with non-smokers (n = 12) (foci number/cell: median, 0.37/cell; interquartile range [IQR], 0.31–0.58 vs. 4.36/cell; IQR, 3.09–7.39, p<0.0001). Smoking cessation for 1 month reduced the γ-H2AX foci number (median, 4.44/cell; IQR, 4.36–5.24 to 0.28/cell; IQR, 0.12–0.53, p<0.05). A positive correlation was noted between γ-H2AX foci number and exhaled carbon monoxide levels (r = 0.75, p<0.01).ConclusionsSmoking induces DSBs in human MNCs in vivo, and importantly, smoking cessation for 1 month resulted in a decrease in DSBs to a level comparable to that seen in non-smokers. These data reinforce the notion that the cigarette smoking induces DSBs and highlight the importance of smoking cessation.

Damaging and protective bystander cross-talk between human lung cancer and normal cells after proton microbeam irradiation

Most of the studies of radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBE) have been focused on understanding the radiobiological changes observed in bystander cells in response to the signals from irradiated cells in a normal cell population with implications to radiation risk assessment. However, reports on RIBE with relevance to cancer radiotherapy especially investigating the bidirectional and criss-cross bystander communications between cancer and normal cells are limited. Hence, in present study employing co-culture approach, we have investigated the bystander cross-talk between lung cancer (A549) and normal (WI38) cells after proton-microbeam irradiation using γ-H2AX foci fluorescence as a measure of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). We observed that in A549–A549 co-cultures, irradiated A549 cells exert damaging effects in bystander A549 cells, which were found to be mediated through gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). However, in A549–WI38 co-cultures, irradiated A549 did not affect bystander WI38 cells. Rather, bystander WI38 cells induced inverse protective signalling (rescue effect) in irradiated A549 cells, which was independent of GJIC. On the other hand, in response to irradiated WI38 cells neither of the bystander cells (A549 or WI38) showed significant increase in γ-H2AX foci. The observed bystander signalling between tumour and normal cells may have potential implications in therapeutic outcome of cancer radiotherapy.

In Vivo and In Vitro Evidence for Placental DNA Damage in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is an idiopathic multisystem disease affecting 5–7% of pregnant women. Placental oxidative stress is a characteristic feature of PE and occurs when the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the placenta overwhelms the intrinsic anti-oxidant defenses. We hypothesize that excessive oxidative DNA damage at the fetal-maternal interface coupled with a defective DNA damage/repair response is causally related to PE. Here we demonstrate that γH2AX (a sensitive marker of DNA damage) is expressed in the maternal decidua but not trophoblast of normal placentas, and that expression is significantly higher in PE placental tissues in vivo. Using primary in vitro cultures of maternal decidual stromal cells (DSCs) and fetal cytotrophoblast cells (CTs), we show an increase in γH2AX foci in DSCs cultured with vs without H2O2 (70.6% vs 11.6%; P<0.0001) or under hypoxia-reperfusion vs normoxia (20- vs 3-fold; P = 0.01); no foci were seen in CTs. We further demonstrate that Base Excision Repair (BER) intermediates are significantly increased in DSCs (not CTs) under these same conditions. Our data show that DNA damage is significantly more common in PE placentas, and that this DNA damage is localized to the maternal and not fetal side of the placenta. CTs may be selectively resistant to DNA damage in an effort to protect the fetus.

Radiosensitization by erlotinib and veliparib in esophageal squamous cell cancer.

70 Background: Dysregulation of the HER/EGFR family is identified in esophageal cancers and confers resistance and inferior survival rates. In addition to their unique selectivity in killing DNA repair-deficient tumors, poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) can enhance radiation-induced cytotoxicity. We and others have also previously demonstrated attenuation of DNA repair capacity in HER-inhibited cells to induce a contextual synthetic lethal interaction with PARPi. We thus hypothesized that erlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor directed against HER1/HER2, could induce a transient DNA repair deficit and subsequently increase DNA damage with the PARPi veliparib in esophageal cancer cells while increasing tumor radiation (RT) sensitivity. Methods: Esophageal SCC cell lines (KYSE-30, KYSE-410, and OE-21) were treated with combinations of vehicle, erlotinib, veliparib (a PARP1/2 inhibitor), and RT. DNA damage and repair and signaling proteins were assessed by immunofluorescence staining of cells for DNA damage and repair foci and/or western blot analysis. Cell viability and cytotoxicity were determined via cell proliferation assays and colony formation assays, respectively. Tumor growth delay was assessed in mice bearing esophageal tumor xenografts. Results: Consistent with our hypotheses, erlotinib increased γ-H2AX foci, a marker of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), in all three esophageal SCC tumor cells. This coincided with reduced DSB-repair capacity as assessed via RAD51 foci and pDNA-PK. Triple combination with erlotinib, veliparib, and RT demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity. A subsequent increase in Annexin positive cells was observed, indicative of activation of the apoptotic response. Importantly, the triple combination was most effective in suppressing the growth of esophageal tumor xenografts in vivo (2– to 5.5–fold lower tumor volume) relative to other treatment groups. Furthermore, we observed reductions in tumor volume from baseline with this triple combination in 3/6 mice. Conclusions: Thus, the combination of erlotinib, PARPi, and RT can be an innovative and effective treatment strategy to enhance the therapeutic ratio and improve outcomes in esophageal SCC cancer patients.

MMSET/WHSC1 Enhances DNA Damage Repair Leading To An Increase In Resistance To Chemotherapeutic Agents

MMSET/WHSC1 is a histone methyltransferase (HMT) overexpressed in t(4;14)+ multiple myeloma (MM) patients, and is believed to be the driving factor in the pathogenesis of this subtype of MM. Overexpression of MMSET also occurs in solid cancers, including neuroblastoma, colon and prostate. MMSET overexpression in MM and prostate cells leads to an increase in histone 3 lysine 36 dimethylation (H3K36me2), and a decrease in histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3). This altered epigenetic landscape is accompanied by changes in proliferation, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility. Prior work linked methylation of histones, including H3K36, to the ability of cells to undergo DNA damage repair. In addition, t(4;14)+ patients frequently relapse after regimens that include DNA damage-inducing agents, suggesting that MMSET might play a role in DNA damage repair and response.To investigate the role of MMSET in DNA damage repair, we transfected U2OS cells with a linearized vector expressing a neomycin-resistant gene. In the presence of G418, only cells that are able to integrate this plasmid through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) can survive. siRNA knockdown of MMSET led to a decrease in cell survival, suggesting that MMSET is necessary for efficient DNA repair. We also used U2OS cells engineered to express the AsiSI enzyme fused to an estrogen receptor hormone-binding domain. Upon tamoxifen treatment, double strand breaks (DSBs) are induced at multiple AsiSI recognition sites, accompanied by an increase in γH2AX foci. The extent of repair after AsiSI-induced damage was ascertained by the ability of a DNA fragment that spans a specific cut site to be PCR amplified. With MMSET knockdown, there was a >10 fold increase in unrepaired DNA. ChIP analysis showed that with the depletion of MMSET, γH2AX persisted at the cut site. ChIP for specific effectors of DNA damage showed a marked decrease of recruitment of CtIP and RAD51 to the DSB. However, immunoblot analysis showed that CtIP and RAD51 levels were drastically decreased with MMSET depletion, thus explaining the loss of their recruitment to DSBs. In contrast, XRCC4 levels were maintained with MMSET siRNA, but its recruitment to the DSB decreased. CtIP is important for both NHEJ and homologous recombination (HR), RAD51 is critical for HR, and XRCC4 is necessary for NHEJ, suggesting that MMSET is important in multiple pathways of DNA repair.To study the effect of MMSET in MM, we used the t(4;14)+ KMS11 cell line, NTKO, and genetically matched TKO cells in which the overexpressed MMSET allele was knocked out. NTKO cells have elevated levels of DNA damage at baseline, as measured by a comet assay and by the presence of elevated numbers of 53BP1-positive foci. Upon addition of the DNA damaging agent melphalan, NTKO cells showed increased damage as measured by an increase in the tail moment by the comet assay. Paradoxically, upon treatment of these cells with the DNA damaging agents, NTKO cells survived better than TKO cells. NTKO repaired DNA damage at an enhanced rate and continued to proliferate after a significant DNA damage insult, whereas TKO cells accumulated DNA damage and entered cell cycle arrest. We repleted TKO cells with constructs expressing either wild-type MMSET or an HMT-dead (Y1118A) isoform. Upon treatment, cells expressing the wild-type MMSET have showed enhanced DNA repair and continued proliferation after DNA damage, whereas cells expressing the HMT-dead protein repaired DNA damage more slowly and entered cell cycle arrest. The HMT activity of MMSET was critical for the induction of expression of genes required for multiple DNA repair pathways including CHEK2, DDB2, DDIT3, RAD51, and MRE11, again suggesting that MMSET modulates DNA repair by affecting expression of critical components of the repair machinery.The clinical relevance of these finds becomes more apparent in vivo. Luciferase-tagged KMS11 cells harboring doxycycline-inducible MMSET shRNA were injected into nude mice. After one week, mice were treated with doxycycline and injected with melphalan or saline. Knockdown of MMSET or melphalan treatment alone decreased tumor growth but eventually all mice had progressive disease. Only when MMSET was knocked down and chemotherapy given were the mice rendered tumor free. These findings indicate a new mechanism for the ability of MMSET to enhance DNA repair and identify the protein as a potential therapeutic target in MM and other cancers. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Disruption Of PML Nuclear Bodies Cooperates In The Pathogenesis Of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterised by the t(15;17)(q22;q21) leading to fusion of PML to the gene encoding the myeloid transcription factor Retinoic Acid Receptor α (RARα). Chromosomal translocations such as the t(15;17) are considered to be initiating events in leukemogenesis; however, sequencing of APL genomes has provided further evidence that the PML-RARα fusion is insufficient to induce leukemia, which depends upon the acquisition of cooperating mutations. The PML-RARα oncoprotein exerts a profound effect on nuclear architecture, disrupting multiprotein structures known as PML nuclear bodies (NBs). The function of these structures remains an enigma; however, their disruption in PML-RARα+ APL and acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the t(9;15)(p13;q24)/PAX5-PML fusion is associated with delocalisation of a number of component proteins including PML, which have been implicated in growth control and neoplastic transformation. It is now established that the PML moiety contributes to APL pathogenesis by conferring via the translocation a novel dimerisation capacity to RARα, but it has been unclear whether deregulation of PML and other NB components cooperates in leukemic transformation or impacts the response to differentiating agents. To address these questions, we generated a knock-in mouse model with targeted NB disruption achieved through mutation of key zinc-binding cysteine residues in the amino-terminal RING domain of Pml. Homozygous Pml RING mutant mice are viable, with no overt developmental defect; however, analysis of the bone marrow revealed significant expansion of the Lin(-)Sca-1(+)c-Kit(+) (LSK) population compared to wild type (WT) controls (p<0.01), accompanied by increased LSK cell proliferation (p<0.0001) as evaluated by in vivo labelling through incorporation of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). In addition, hematopoietic cells derived from homozygous Pml RING mutant mice exhibited markedly elevated levels of DNA damage compared to WT cells from age-matched controls, as evidenced by increased numbers of γH2AX foci (p=0.009). This was associated with significantly delayed DNA damage repair responses in Pml RING mutant cells following γ-irradiation (p=0.005). Accordingly, expression of PML-RARα in human hematopoietic cells, which led to disruption of NBs, also induced a significant increase in γH2AX foci (p=0.0023). While no leukemias arose in homozygous Pml RING mutant mice, they developed an excess of T- and B-cell lymphomas (p=0.03), consistent with the proposed tumour suppressor function of PML and the NBs. Since a key property conferred by the PML moiety required for leukemogenicity of the PML-RARα oncoprotein is the capacity to dimerise, we evaluated whether Pml NB disruption could cooperate with forced RARα homodimerisation (mediated artificially by linking RARα to the p50 dimerisation motif of NFκB). While Pml NB disruption or p50-RARA expressed under the control of the MRP8 promoter in murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells conferred limited replating capacity, in combination they exhibited marked cooperativity, with a significant increase in third round colonies (p=0.03). Moreover, NB disruption was found to cooperate with forced RARα homodimerisation in vivo with a doubling in the rate of leukemia development in p50-RARα mice with mutated Pml (p<0.0001), leading to a penetrance comparable to that observed in previously published PML-RARα transgenic models. Moreover, the latency to onset of leukemia was significantly shorter in p50-RARα mice with the Pml RING mutation, occurring from 213 days of age vs 310 days with WT Pml (p=0.008). While Pml NB disruption did not affect engraftment of p50-RARα leukemias in serial transplantation, the in vitro differentiation response of p50-RARα leukemias to All transretinoic acid (ATRA) as determined by nitroblue tetrazolium assay was significantly impaired in the context of NB disruption (p<0.05). Moreover, prolongation of survival following ATRA treatment in mice transplanted with p50-RARα leukemic blasts was dependent upon Pml NB integrity (p=0.03). Overall, these data suggest that the NB disruption mediated by the PML-RARα oncoprotein plays a key role in APL pathogenesis contributing to expansion of the LSK population and defective DNA repair predisposing to the acquisition of cooperating mutations, but also implicate NBs in the response to differentiating agents. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

JAK2V617F Mutation Evokes Paracrine DNA Damage To Adjacent Normal Cells Via Secretion Of Lipocalin-2

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are clonal myeloid disorders associated with a high prevalence of JAK2V617F mutation. One of the most dismal complications in MPN is their transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after accumulation of additive genetic mutations. Curiously, the transformed AML cells frequently lack the JAK2 mutation, indicating that these leukemia cells are derived from JAK2V617F-negative clones which coexisted with JAK2V617F-positive ones during MPN phase. In this study, we investigated the pathogenesis underlying these phenomena using murine MPN model induced by transplantation of JAK2V617F-IRES-GFP-transduced bone marrow cells. First, we evaluated accumulation of DNA damage by immunofluorescence staining of γH2AX in GFP-positive and GFP-negative fractions. Surprisingly, we observed increased γH2AX foci formation in both GFP-positive and negative hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Moreover, when normal hematopoietic cells were cultured in conditioned media (CM) by JAK2V617F-positive cells, the cultured cells showed significantly elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and accumulation of γH2AX foci formation. These findings indicate that JAK2V617F-positive clones confer genetic instability and DNA damage accumulation to both themselves and neighboring normal cells in a paracrine manner. To clarify the mechanism of JAK2V617F-induced paracrine DNA damage, we analyzed gene expression profiles of JAK2V617F-positive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells compared with normal counterparts in murine and human MPN. Since we were interested in elucidating the cause for paracrine effects evoked by JAK2V617F-positive clones, we focused on 8 genes encoding soluble factors included in the list of the genes that showed significantly elevated expression in JAK2V617-positive cells. Through shRNA-mediated knockdown of the individual genes in JAK2V617F-positive cells, we found that repression of lipocalin-2 (LCN2), one of the pro-inflammatory adipokines, strikingly alleviated the paracrine DNA damage response mediated by JAK2V617F-positive cells. Consistent with the result, exposure of hematopoietic cells to LCN2 resulted in elevated intracellular ROS levels and increased γ-H2AX foci formation. Collectively, these data demonstrate that LCN2 secreted from JAK2V617F-positive clones should be associated with the induction of oxidative DNA damage into neighboring cells in a paracrine fashion. Next, we explored how DNA damage is evoked by LCN2 exposure. Interestingly, we found that hematopoietic cells treated with LCN2 had significantly higher levels of intracellular iron, and the effect was further augmented with addition of FeSO4 in the medium. Furthermore, the intracellular ROS levels elevated by LCN2 were reverted to normal with co-treatment of iron chelating agent deferoxamine, suggesting that LCN2-triggered paracrine oxidative stress is mediated by intracellular iron overload. Finally, we studied the response of normal clones to increased oxidative stress. Importantly, we found that hematopoietic cells treated with JAK2V617F CM or LCN2 had increased phosphorylation of p53 and elevated expression of the pro-apoptotic genes regulated by p53 pathway, such as Bax, Noxa, and Puma. They also showed decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis rate. In contrast, when bone marrow cells derived from p53-deficient mice were treated with LCN2, they showed no significant change in apoptosis rate, suggesting that p53 pathway activation is required for the LCN2-treated cells to exclude themselves when severely damaged, and prevent the emergence of clones with various genetic aberrations. These results are consistent with clinical findings that p53 mutation, which might accelerate the DNA damage accumulation, is frequently seen in leukemic clones transformed from MPN. In summary, we demonstrate that JAK2V617F-positive cells evoke DNA damage to adjacent normal clones through LCN2-mediated iron overload, which is associated with increased risk for leukemogenesis from both JAK2V617F-positive and negative cells within MPN bone marrow. Disrupting these cascades presents a promising therapeutic approach for preventing the leukemic transformation from MPN. Disclosures:Kurokawa:Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Radiosensitisation of bladder cancer cells by panobinostat is modulated by Ku80 expression

Background and purposeIn muscle-invasive bladder cancer there is an urgent need to identify relatively non-toxic radiosensitising agents for use in elderly patients. Histone deacetylase inhibitors radiosensitise tumour cells but not normal cells in vitro and variously downregulate DNA damage signalling, homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair proteins. We investigated panobinostat (PAN) as a potential radiosensitiser in bladder cancer cells. Materials and methodsClonogenic assays were performed in RT112 bladder cancer cells, and RT112 cells stably knocked down for RAD51 or Ku80 by shRNAi. Resolution of γH2AX foci was determined by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, cell cycle progression by FACS analysis and protein expression by western blotting. ResultsPAN had a greater radiosensitising effect in Ku80KD than RT112 or RAD51KD cells; enhancement ratios 1.35 for Ku80KD at 10nM (IC20 for Ku80KD) and 1.31 for RT112 and RAD51KD at 25nM (IC40 for both). PAN downregulated MRE11, NBS1 and RAD51, but not Ku70 and Ku80, increased γH2AX foci formation in a dose-dependent manner and delayed γH2AX foci repair after ionising radiation. ConclusionsPAN acts as a radiosensitiser in bladder cancer cell lines, and appears to target HR rather than NHEJ. As muscle-invasive bladder tumours have reduced Ku-DNA binding, PAN could be particularly useful as a radiosensitiser in bladder cancer.

Abstract 4429: Comparison of afatinib and erlotinib as radiosensitizing agents in bladder cancer cells.

Abstract Erlotinib is a first-generation EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase inhibitor and have well-established efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients with activating EGFR mutations. Afatinib, on the other hand, is a second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-HER2 activity and was found to be of benefit to patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who failed previous gefetinib or erlotinib. In previous study we have demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo radiosensitising activity of afatinib in a murine bladder cancer model. However, the radiosensitizing effect of afatinib and erlotinib, has never been compared in cancer cells including bladder cancer. We performed RTK (Receptor Tyrosine Kinase) antibody arrays to investigate the relative levels of phosphorylation in T24 human bladder cancer cell line. We found that EGFR and HER2 signals were activated after radiation10 Gy. Afatinib 100 nM suppressed both irradiation-induced EGFR and HER2 signals but erlotinib 100 nM only suppressed irradiation-induced EGFR signal. Clonogenic assay of T24 and NTUB1 human bladder cancer cell lines was then examined. Afatinib (100-500 nM) showed better radiosensitizing effect (radiation dose: 2-10 Gy) than erlotinib (300-1500 nM) in both T24 and NTUB1 cells by significantly decreasing the numbers of colonies 7 days after treatment. The effect is more prominent in high doses of afatinib. Flow cytometry was used to determine the distribution of cells among various cell cycle phases. T24 and NTUB1 cells were treated with vehicle, radiation 2.5 Gy, afatinib 200 nM, erlotinib 200 nM or the combination of radiation and afatinib or erlotinib. When compared with radiation or drug alone, treatment combining radiation and afatinib in T24 cells resulted in a significant increase of cells in sub-G1 phase but the phenomenon was not observed in the combination of erlotinib and radiation. A similar trend was found in NTUB1 cells. The results implicated that afatinib might enhance radiation effect by increasing apoptosis in bladder cancer cells. To study the DNA damage status after treatment, we checked intra-nuclear γH2AX foci by mmunofluorescence microscopy. T24 and NTUB1 cells were treated with vehicle, radiation 2.5 Gy, afatinib 100 nM, erlotinib 100 nM or the combination of radiation and afatinib or erlotinib. Radiation alone significantly increased γH2AX foci and combining radiation with afatinib further increased the foci in both T24 and NTUB1 cells. The enhancement was absent in the combination of radiation and erlotinib. Our data clearly show that afatinib, a new generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-HER2 activity, is superior to erlotinib as a radiosensitizer in the treatment of human bladder cancer cells. Citation Format: Yu-Chieh Tsai, Tsung-Fan Tuan, Pei-Yin Ho, Wei-Lin Liu, Liang-Yu Chang, Yeong-Shiau Pu, Ann-Lii Cheng, Jason Chia-Hsien Chen. Comparison of afatinib and erlotinib as radiosensitizing agents in bladder cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4429. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4429

MBTD1 is associated with Pr-Set7 to stabilize H4K20me1 in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation

H4K20me1 is a critical histone lysine methyl modification in eukaryotes. It is recognized and “read” by various histone lysine methyl modification binding proteins. In this study, the function of MBTD1, a member of the Polycomb protein family containing four MBT domains, was comprehensively studied in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. The results showed that depletion of MBTD1 caused reduced expression of histone lysine methyl transferase Pr-Set7 and H4K20me1 as well as increased oocyte arrest at the GV stage. Increased γH2AX foci were formed, and DNA damage repair checkpoint protein 53BP1 was downregulated. Furthermore, depletion of MBTD1 activated the cell cycle checkpoint protein Chk1 and downregulated the expression of cyclin B1 and cdc2. MBTD1 knockdown also affected chromosome configuration in GV stage oocytes and chromosome alignment at the MII stage. All these phenotypes were reproduced when the H4K20 methyl transferase Pr-Set7 was depleted. Co-IP demonstrated that MBTD1 was correlated with Pr-Set7 in mouse oocytes. Our results demonstrate that MBTD1 is associated with Pr-Set7 to stabilize H4K20me1 in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation.

Increased γH2AX Foci in Old Hematopoietic Stem Cells Are Independent of the DNA Damage Response and Linked to Inefficient DNA Replication/Transcription

Abstract 1207Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are responsible for the life-long production of all blood cells. Changes in the biological function of old HSCs have been directly linked to the occurrence of age-related blood defects including immunosenescence, anemia and the development of a broad spectrum of hematological disorders (i.e., myeloproliferative neoplasms, leukemia, bone marrow failure). Gene expression studies and analysis of genetically modified mice have also suggested that error-prone DNA repair as well as a decrease in genomic stability are one of the driving forces for the reduced functional capacity of old HSCs. Here, we used HSCs (Lin-/c-Kit+/Sca-1+/Flk2-/CD48-/CD150+) isolated from the bone marrow of old (20–24 months old) and young (6–12 weeks old) C57Bl/6 mice to directly investigate the DNA damage response of old HSCs.Using immunofluorescence, we first confirmed that freshly isolated quiescent old HSCs have an increased number of γH2AX foci, which is a well-established indicator for DNA double-strand breaks. In addition, we found that these intrinsically occurring γH2AX foci specifically co-localized with nucleolar markers (i.e., UBF, fibrillarin and nucleolin) and were a cell-intrinsic feature of old HSCs as demonstrated by transplantation experiments of old HSCs into young recipient mice. However, we could not demonstrate that nucleolar γH2AX foci in old HSCs represent sites of DNA damage. Neither did known DNA repair-associated markers like 53BP1 co-localize with nucleolar γH2AX foci, nor were other DNA damage markers such as phospho-ATM or PARP1 increased in old HSCs. In addition, none of the other methods we used to measure DNA fragmentation such as TUNEL or COMET assays revealed elevated levels of DNA damage in old HSCs, and spectral karyotyping (SKY) analysis of in vitro cultured old HSCs did not provide evidence for DNA damage-associated chromosomal alterations. We then used 2Gy ionizing radiation (IR) to directly induce DNA double-strand breaks and measured the DNA repair capacity of old HSCs. Strikingly, we observed a similar DNA damage response and DNA repair kinetics in young and old HSCs. These results provide evidence that old HSCs can respond adequately to DNA damage and that accumulation of γH2AX at the nucleolus is not the consequence of an activated DNA damage response.The nucleolus consists of a highly regulated repetitive sequence of rDNA units and is the site of ribosomal DNA transcription. Both young and old quiescent HSCs have well-formed nucleoli as shown by electron microscopy analyses. Strikingly, we found a complete disappearance of nucleolar γH2AX foci when old HSCs are forced into cell cycle upon in vitro culture. Furthermore, we observed a significant delay in the onset of the first cell division and timing of nucleolar reformation following mitosis in old HSCs. In addition, cycling old HSCs displayed higher levels of DNA replication/transcription-associated γH2AX foci compared to cycling young HSCs. We are currently investigating how defects in the DNA replication machinery could contribute to the nucleolar γH2AX foci and cell cycle features of old HSCs, and whether old HSCs maintain similar levels of rRNA transcription as compared to young HSCs.Taken together, our results demonstrate that the increased numbers of γH2AX foci observed in old HSCs is not caused by an accumulation of DNA damage. Instead, nucleolar γH2AX foci appear to be a hallmark feature of quiescent old HSCs that could reflect epigenetic changes in rDNA chromatin structure linked to inefficient DNA replication/transcription. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Synthesis of Water-Soluble Camptothecin–Polyoxetane Conjugates via Click Chemistry

Water-soluble camptothecin (CPT)-polyoxetane conjugates were synthesized using a clickable polymeric platform P(EAMO) that was made by polymerization of acetylene-functionalized 3-ethyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)oxetane (i.e., EAMO). CPT was first modified with a linker 6-azidohexanoic acid via an ester linkage to yield CPT-azide. CPT-azide was then click coupled to P(EAMO) in dichloromethane using bromotris(triphenylphosphine)copper(I)/N,N-diisopropylethylamine. For water solubility and cytocompatibility improvement, methoxypolyethylene glycol azide (mPEG-azide) was synthesized from mPEG 750 g mol(-1) and click grafted using copper(II) sulfate and sodium ascorbate to P(EAMO)-g-CPT. (1)H NMR spectroscopy confirmed synthesis of all intermediates and the final product P(EAMO)-g-CPT/PEG. CPT was found to retain its therapeutically active lactone form. The resulting P(EAMO)-g-CPT/PEG conjugates were water-soluble and produced dose-dependent cytotoxicity to human glioma cells and increased γ-H2AX foci formation, indicating extensive cell cycle-dependent DNA damage. Altogether, we have synthesized CPT-polymer conjugates able to induce controlled toxicity to human cancer cells.

Nuclear epidermal growth factor receptor and p16 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and p16 (a surrogate marker of human papillomavirus [HPV] infection) expression are strong prognostic factors in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We examined expression levels of total and nuclear EGFR as well as p16 status based on evidence that nuclear EGFR may have a role in DNA damage repair. An HPV-negative (SQ20B) and an HPV-positive (UMSCC47) HNSCC cell line were examined for EGFR and γH2AX expression. A tissue microarray containing 123 cores obtained from 101 HNSCC tumors was analyzed for EGFR expression by automated quantitative analysis and p16 expression by immunohistochemical staining, and these results were correlated with available clinical data. SQ20B had higher EGFR expression than UMSCC47. Nuclear localization of EGFR on activation with transforming growth factor-α was observed in SQ20B, but not in UMSCC47. SQ20B also had increased γH2AX foci compared to UMSCC47, suggesting that SQ20B has more DNA damage compared to UMSCC47. Total and nuclear EGFR was reliably obtained from 80 of 101 patients. p16 levels were determined in 87 of 101 patients. p16 levels were strongly associated with the oropharyngeal subsite and poorly differentiated histology. Expression of total and nuclear EGFR was higher in p16-negative tumors compared to p16-positive tumors (Wilcoxon rank test, P = .038 and P = .014, respectively). Further studies are required to determine a mechanistic link between these two prognostic factors and the significance of EGFR localization to nucleus in DNA damage repair pathway activation.

Age-Related Disease Association of Endogenous γ-H2AX Foci in Mononuclear Cells Derived from Leukapheresis

The phosphorylated form of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) forms immunohistochemically detectable foci at DNA double strand breaks. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from leukapheresis from patients enrolled in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, γ-H2AX foci increased in a linear fashion with regards to age, peaking at ∼57 years. The relationship between the frequency of γ-H2AX foci and age-related pathologies was assessed. We found a statistically significant (p = 0.023) 50% increase in foci in PBMCs derived from patients with a known history of vitamin D deficiency. In addition, there were trends toward increased γ-H2AX foci in patients with cataracts (34% increase, p<0.10) and in sleep apnea patients (44%, p<0.10). Among patients ≥57 y/o, we found a significant (p = 0.037) 36% increase in the number of γ-H2AX foci/cell for patients with hypertension compared to non-hypertensive patients. Our results support a role for increased DNA damage in the morbidity of age-related diseases. γ -H2AX may be a biomarker for human morbidity in age-related diseases.

Highlights from Recent Cancer Literature

Highlights from Recent Cancer Literature

Proof of mechanism (POM) in the first-in-human trial of two novel indenoisoquinoline, non-camptothecin topoisomerase I (TOP1) inhibitors.

3031 Background: Indenoisoquinolines LMP 400 and LMP 776 form stable DNA-top1 cleavage complexes, have a preference for unique DNA cleavage sites, and are not substrates for ABC transporters compared to camptothecins. We conducted a randomized phase I trial of LMP 400 and LMP 776 in patients (pts) with refractory tumors to establish safety and MTD of LMP 400 and LMP 776 administered IV daily x 5 d, q 28d; determine PK; evaluate TOP1 and γH2AX levels in tumor biopsies (bx); and compare pharmacodynamic responses of LMP400 and LMP776. Methods: Pts had refractory malignancies; ≥ 18 yrs old; KPS &gt; 70%; adequate organ function. DLT: drug-related gr ≥ 3 non-hem or gr 4 hem toxicities during C1. Pts assigned to receive either LMP 400 or LMP 776. Dose level (DL) in mg/m2/day for LMP 776: 1, 2, 3, 4.5 mg; LMP 400: 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80. Accelerated titration design with one pt per dose level (DL), 100% dose escalation until one DLT or 2 gr 2 toxicities, then 3+3 design. Tumor bx and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were obtained at baseline and C1D3. Results: Twenty pts accrued to date [LMP 400 (11 pts); LMP 776 (9 pts)]; M/F 7/13; median age 59 (range 32-71 yrs); diagnosis (# of pts): colorectal (10), vaginal adenocarcinoma (1), head and neck (2), bladder (1), melanoma (1), pancreas (1), thyroid (1), small cell lung (1), sarcoma (1), lymphoma (1). DLTs: LMP 400- gr 4 myelosuppression, gr 3 fatigue at DL 6; DL 5 expanded to establish MTD; LMP 776 (DL2)- gr 4 hypercalcemia, no other DLTs, dose escalation continuing. One pt with irinotecan-refractory colon cancer had shrinkage of lung nodules post one cycle of LMP 400. Relative to baseline, 5 of 6 tumor bx demonstrated 20-50% reduction in TOP1 levels (LMP 776); an increase in γH2AX foci in tumor was observed in 2/6 LMP 776 and 1/1 LMP 400 pts. An increase in γH2AX was also observed in hair bulbs (3/3 pts) and CTCs (9/20 pts). PK for LMP 400 and LMP 776: mean T1/2 48 and 36 h; Cl 1.5 and 2.0 L/h/m2; Vc 30 and 31 L/m2, respectively. Conclusions: POM, as assessed by reduction in TOP 1 levels and increase in γH2AX in tumor and CTCs, and preliminary evidence of activity, has been demonstrated in this first-in-human trial of indenoisoquinoline-class of TOP1 inhibitors. Accrual is ongoing.

X-irradiation induces cell death in fetal fibroblasts

The impact of ionizing radiation on developing organisms has been widely studied for risk assessment purposes. Even though efforts have been made to decrease received doses to as low as reasonably achievable, the possibility of accidental exposure has to be considered as well. Mammalian gestation is usually divided into three periods. Radiation exposure during the 'pre-implantation period' may essentially result in embryonic mortality while exposure during the 'organogenesis period' may characteristically lead to malformations. In humans, the 'fetal period' is one of particular sensitivity to radiation induction of mental retardation, especially if the exposure occurs between weeks 8-15 of gestation. It is also admitted that prenatal irradiation may increase the risk of leukemia and childhood cancer, with an equal risk over the whole pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate to high doses of X-irradiation on mouse skin fetal fibroblasts, one of the cell types subjected to the highest dose of radiation. Exposure of the cells to X-rays led to a rapid and significant increase in γ-H2AX foci, indicative of high levels of DNA double strand breaks. High doses (>2 Gy) also led to a pronounced G2-arrest and a decrease in the number of cells in the S phase, which was followed after 24 h by a decrease in cell survival and an increase in the level of apoptosis and necrosis. This study shows that mouse fetal skin fibroblasts are sensitive to high doses of X-irradiation. Furthermore, we report a better repair for higher doses than lower, which seems to indicate that little DNA damage is not necessarily repaired immediately. However, more sensitive approaches are necessary to identify the risk associated with low doses of radiation.

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) specifically kills BRCA2-deficient tumor cells

Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG), removes poly(ADP-ribose) subunits from proteins that have previously been modified by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerse. This ensures that modification is transient, and it is suggested that removal of poly(ADP-ribose) is essential for some types of DNA repair. Here we show increased γH2AX foci formation and increased homologous recombination when PARG is inhibited. These effects are reduced when replication is inhibited, suggesting that in the absence of PARG activity, replication forks collapse, and homologous recombination is induced for repair. Consistent with this, we show that cells deficient in the homologous recombination protein BRCA2 are sensitive to PARG depletion or inhibition. These data raise the exciting possibility that PARG inhibitors may be used to specifically kill BRCA2 and other homologous recombination-deficient tumors.

Influx of extracellular calcium participates in rituximab-enhanced ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis in Raji cells

We have previously shown that rituximab has a significant radiosensitizing effect on Raji cells in vitro. To investigate whether calcium signals participate in rituximab- and radiation-induced cell death in Raji cells, confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to detect kinetic changes in intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Cell survival, the rates of apoptosis in Raji cells and the kinetics of γ-H2AX foci induction and loss were also evaluated. X-irradiation of Raji cells induced an initial increase of [Ca2+]i in both the presence and absence of extracellular calcium, followed by a decrease in [Ca2+]i over time. Rituximab enhanced both the amplitude and the duration of intracellular calcium signals in the irradiated cells. EGTA significantly inhibited radiation- or radiation/rituximab combination treatment-induced apoptosis. However, the calcium chelators EGTA and BAPTA/AM conferred no survival advantage on the irradiated cells. Furthermore, although no significant difference was seen after 1h, the treatment of cells with a combination of irradiation and rituxiamb caused an increase of γ-H2AX foci when compared with irradiated cells after 8h. Both EGTA and BAPTA/AM suppressed the number of γ-H2AX foci induced by either radiation or radiation combined with rituximab. Our results suggest that rituximab increases the level of [Ca2+]i in irradiated Raji cells. The entry of calcium from the extracellular space plays an essential role in [Ca2+]i-dependent radiation-induced apoptosis in Raji cells. The calcium chelators inhibited the formation of γ-H2AX foci, which are thought to prevent the activation of Ca2+/Mg2+-dependent endonucleases and subsequent DNA fragmentation. The calcium chelators most likely modulate only particular features of apoptosis and fail to change the fates of cells that are already committed to die.