Inhibition Of DNA Repair Pathways Research Articles

A targeted inhibition of DNA-dependent protein kinase sensitizes breast cancer cells following ionizing radiation.

A major mechanism by which cancer cells become resistant to ionizing radiation (IR) and chemotherapy drugs is by enhanced DNA repair of the lesions; therefore, through inhibition of DNA repair pathways that tumor cells rely on to escape chemotherapy, we expect to increase the killing of cancer cells and reduce drug resistance. DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a nuclear serine/threonine protein kinase essential for DNA repair as well as sensing and transmitting a damage signal to downstream targets leading to cell cycle arrest. We used a peptide cotherapy strategy to see whether a targeted inhibition of DNA-PK activity sensitizes breast cancer cells in response to IR or chemotherapy drug. A synthesized peptide representing the C terminus of Ku80 (HNI-38) selectively targeted and disrupted interaction between Ku complex and the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) as well as the DNA binding activity of Ku that led to the inhibition of DNA-PK activity and reduction in double-stranded DNA break (dsb) repair activity. Furthermore, a peptide-based inhibitor with target sequence effectively inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells only in the presence of DNA damage, suggesting that the target peptide sensitizes cancer cells through blocking dsb DNA repair activity. Together, this study not only validates the involvement of the C terminus of Ku80 in Ku's DNA termini binding and interaction with DNA-PKcs, but also a supports physiological role for DNA-PK in IR or chemotherapy drug resistance of cancer cells.

Radiosensitivity and effects of repair inhibitors for X-ray-induced chromosomal damage in mouse zygotes in S and G2 phases.

The potentiation effects of arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C), hydroxyurea, 3-aminobenzamide, and caffeine on the yield of chromosome aberrations were examined at the first-cleavage metaphase in mouse zygotes irradiated with X-rays in S and G2 phases (7.5 and 12 h after insemination respectively) in vitro. Potentiation effects were found in both S and G2 for all chemicals except ara-C. Caffeine completely released G2 arrest, which was not overcome by any other chemicals, and enhanced chromosome aberrations most effectively. Caffeine enhanced chromosome aberrations more in G2 irradiation than in S irradiation, and the frequency of chromatid-type aberrations was remarkably enhanced in G2 irradiation. The results in this study demonstrated an existence of two types of caffeine effects in the mouse zygotes irradiated in S and G2; a cancellation of G2 arrest and direct inhibition of DNA repair pathways. The chromosomal damage induced in G2 was effectively repaired by a repair pathway, which is affected by caffeine, on the other hand, the progression of cell cycle, not repair inhibition, was a major factor of caffeine effect on the yield of chromosome aberrations in S irradiation.