Proficient Cell Lines Research Articles

Association between Mitotic Spindle Checkpoint Impairment and Susceptibility to the Induction of Apoptosis by Anti-Microtubule Agents in Human Lung Cancers

Anti-microtubule agents such as vinorelbine and paclitaxel, which are extensively used in the treatment of lung cancers, activate mitotic spindle checkpoint. Although defects of the mitotic spindle checkpoint are thought to play a role in the genesis of chromosome instability, we previously reported its frequent impairment in human lung cancer cell lines. In this study, we examined a panel of 13 human cancer cell lines comprising 11 lung and 2 other cancers and found a significant difference in the resistance to apoptosis induced by anti-microtubule agents between mitotic spindle checkpoint-impaired and -proficient cancer cell lines. This finding was in marked contrast to a lack of such correlation with a DNA damaging agent, cis-platin. Interestingly, anti-microtubule agent-induced apoptosis in mitotic spindle checkpoint-proficient cell lines, NCI-H460 and A549, was shown to be markedly reduced by staurosporine treatment in association with the shortened mitotic arrest, whereas various inhibitors of caspases seemed to have very modest effects. Taken together, these findings suggest the potential involvement of mitotic spindle checkpoint in the induction of apoptosis by anti-microtubule agents in human lung cancers, warranting further studies on the underlying mechanisms.

Role of hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation in drug resistance to 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Loss of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) occurs in 10-15% of sporadic colorectal cancer, is usually caused by hMLH1 hypermethylation, and has been shown to confer resistance to various chemotherapeutic reagents, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). We tested the hypothesis that demethylation of the hMLH1 promoter in hypermethylated colorectal cancer cells would restore MMR proficiency and drug sensitivity to 5-FU. We used the MMR-deficient cell lines SW48, HCT116, HCT116+chr2 and the -proficient cell line HCT116+chr3. After treatment with the demethylating agent 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5 aza-dC), hMLH1 mRNA and protein expression were determined by RT-PCR and immunoblots. The methylation status for hMLH1 was investigated by methylation-specific PCR. Cells were subsequently treated with 5-FU and the growth characteristics ascertained by clonogenic assays. hMLH1 hypermethylation was reverted in SW48 cells 24 hr after treatment with 5 aza-dC and was accompanied by hMLH1 mRNA and protein reexpression. While 5 aza-dC alone did not affect the growth of SW48 cells, all other cell lines responded with a pronounced growth inhibition. 5-FU treatment strongly reduced the colony formation of HCT116+chr3 cells. These effects were significantly less in the MMR-deficient cells. Combined treatment of SW48 cells resulted in a similar growth pattern as seen in 5-FU only treated HCT116+chr3 cells. We demonstrate that in vitro resistance to 5-FU can be overcome by reexpression of hMLH1 protein through 5 aza-dC-induced demethylation in hypermethylated cell lines. Induction of the expression of methylated tumor suppressor or MMR genes could have a significant impact on the development of future chemotherapy strategies.

DNA uptake and repair enzyme access to transfected DNA is under reported by gene expression

Gene expression is the typical biological end point of interest following transfection. However, transcription may not accurately assess DNA uptake, or the ability of transfected DNA to be acted on by other enzymatic pathways. We have compared DNA uptake to gene expression and the unrelated enzymatic process of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair. Transfection efficiency (at limiting DNA concentration) was assessed as a function of DNA uptake and gene expression in the DSB repair proficient WI38VA13 and MO59K cell lines and the DSB repair defective cell line MO59J, by comparing eGFP expression from the pHygEGFP expression vector with uptake of rhodamine labeled linear pSP189 plasmid (3:1). Repair proficient cells expressed eGFP most efficiently, but never approached DNA uptake levels (⩾90%). Although transfected DNAs were stable in repair proficient cells and degraded in MO59J cells, most cells did not express eGFP, but in the repair proficient cells linear DNA did undergo DSB repair.

Effect of H 2O 2 on cell cycle and survival in DNA mismatch repair-deficient and -proficient cell lines

Patients who develop tumors with Lynch syndrome, which is caused by mutational inactivation of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, have a relatively favorable prognosis compared to patients who develop sporadic tumors. Paradoxically, DNA MMR-deficient cells are resistant to many chemotherapeutic agents, and are capable of bypassing the G2/M checkpoint in vitro. Colon cancers that develop in the setting of Lynch syndrome show an abundant recruitment of immune cells into tumor tissues, which might be expected to increase oxyradical formation, and make the tumor cells more vulnerable to cell death. We examined the chemosensitivity and cell cycle response to oxidative stress in several MMR-deficient (HCT116, SW48, and DLD1) and -proficient (CaCo2, SW480, and HT29) colorectal cancer cell lines. H 2O 2 induced a G2/M cell cycle arrest in both MMR deficient and proficient cell lines, however MMR-deficient cell lines were more sensitive to H 2O 2 toxicity, and the response was more prolonged in MMR-deficient cells. Interestingly, human MutL-homologue ( hMLH1-)defective HCT116 and hMLH1-restored HCT116+ch3 cell lines responded to H 2O 2 with the same degree of G2/M arrest. The survival response of HCT116+ch3 was nearly identical to that of hMLH1-defective HCT116+ch2, although better than the response observed in HCT116 cells. In conclusion, greater cellular sensitivity and G2/M arrest in response to oxidative stress in MMR-deficient colorectal cancer cells could be one of the reasons for the more favorable prognosis seen in patients with Lynch syndrome. However, this sensitivity appears not to be a direct result of a deficient MMR function, but is more likely attributable to spectrum of target gene mutations that occurs in MMR-deficient tumors.

Role of DNA-PK in the process of aberration formation as studied in irradiated human glioblastoma cell lines M059K and M059J

Purpose : The participation of various DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms in the formation of chromosome aberrations is not yet fully understood. To investigate particularly the role of non-homologous end-joining, we analysed the formation of radiation-induced aberrations in a DNA-protein kinase (PK CS) -proficient cell line M059K and in a deficient cell line M059J. Materials and methods : Plateau-phase M059K and M059J cells were irradiated with low doses of X-rays. Chromosome aberrations were determined as genomic yields of dicentric chromosomes and excess acentric fragments, scored in Giemsa-stained metaphases, and as partial yields of reciprocal translocations and total visible complex exchanges (complex aberrations) for chromosomes 4, 7 and 11 using the FISH method. M059K cells were also analysed in the presence of 50 µ;m wortmannin, a DNA-PK inhibitor. Results : DNA-PK-deficient cells showed a higher yield of simple stable and unstable and of complex aberrations in comparison with DNA-PK-proficient cells. The largest differences were observed for excess acentric fragments and for complex aberrations. DNA-PK inhibition by wortmannin in M059-K cells resulted in increased aberration yield in the same qualitative and quantitative manner as in M059-J cells. Conclusion : The results obtained with DNA-PK-deficient M059J cells and with DNA-PK-proficient M059K cells treated with wortmannin, an inhibitor of DNA-PK and ATM, suggest that the elimination of DNA-PK-dependent non-homologous end-joining can recruit a slow, error-prone repair process, which is DNA-PK independent and favours the increased formation of chromosome aberrations. The nature of this pathway and the way of its participation in aberration formation need further elucidation.

Base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair contribute to the removal of N-methylpurines from active genes

Many different cellular pathways have evolved to protect the genome from the deleterious effects of DNA damage that result from exposure to chemical and physical agents. Among these is a process called transcription-coupled repair (TCR) that catalyzes the removal of DNA lesions from the transcribed strand of expressed genes, often resulting in a preferential bias of damage clearance from this strand relative to its non-transcribed counterpart. Lesions subject to this type of repair include cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers that are normally repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER) and thymine glycols (TGs) that are removed primarily by base excision repair (BER). While the mechanism underlying TCR is not completely clear, it is known that its facilitation requires proteins used by other repair pathways like NER. It is also believed that the signal for TCR is the stalled RNA polymerase that results when DNA damage prevents its translocation during transcription elongation. While there is a clear role for some NER proteins in TCR, the involvement of BER proteins is less clear. To explore this further, we studied the removal of 7-methylguanine (7MeG) and 3-methyladenine (3MeA) from the dihydrofolate reductase ( dhfr) gene of murine cell lines that vary in their repair phenotypes. 7MeG and 3MeA constitute the two principal N-methylpurines formed in DNA following exposure to methylating agents. In mammalian cells, alkyladenine DNA alkyladenine glycosylase (Aag) is the major enzyme required for the repair of these lesions via BER, and their removal from the total genome is quite rapid. There is no observable TCR of these lesions in specific genes in DNA repair proficient cells; however, it is possible that the rapid repair of these adducts by BER masks any TCR. The repair of 3MeA and 7MeG was examined in cells lacking Aag, NER, or both Aag and NER to determine if rapid overall repair masks TCR. The results show that both 3MeA and 7MeG are removed without strand bias from the dhfr gene of BER deficient (Aag deficient) and NER deficient murine cell lines. Furthermore, repair of 3MeA in this region is highly dependent on Aag, but repair of 7MeG is equally efficient in the repair proficient, BER deficient, and NER deficient cell lines. Strikingly, in the absence of both BER and NER, neither 7MeG nor 3MeA is repaired. These results demonstrate that NER, but not TCR, contributes to the repair of 7MeG, and to a lesser extent 3MeA.

Heterocyclic amine induced apoptotic response in the human lymphoblastoid cell line TK6 is linked to mismatch repair status

The human lymphoblastoid cell, TK6, exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxic and apoptotic response following treatment with the food borne heterocyclic amine, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Augmentation of the p53 protein and increases in p21-WAF1 levels were also observed. Comparison of the survival by clonogenic assays and the percentage of apoptotic cells (cells containing subG1 DNA or condensed nuclei) revealed that only 10–20% of the PhIP-induced cell death could be attributed to apoptosis that occurred in the first 24h after treatment. MT1, a derivative of TK6 that contains mutations in both alleles of its hMSH6 gene and is mismatch repair deficient, showed a decreased apoptotic response. A significant increase (P<0.05) in apoptosis was observed in TK6 and not in MT1 following treatment with 2.5μg/ml PhIP. A five- to six-fold increase and less than a two-fold increase in the fraction of apoptotic cells were observed in TK6 and MT1, respectively. Treatment with 5μg/ml PhIP resulted in significant increases in apoptosis (P<0.05) in TK6 and MT1. The percentages of apoptotic cells were, however, two- to three-fold higher in TK6 than in MT1. HCT116, a hMLH1 defective mismatch repair deficient colorectal carcinoma cell line, also exhibited lower PhIP-induced apoptosis than its mismatch repair proficient chromosome transfer cell line (HCT116+chr3) following PhIP treatment. These results show that PhIP-induced apoptosis is mediated through a mismatch repair dependent pathway. Accumulation of p53 in TK6 and MT1 were evident in samples taken 24h after PhIP treatment. Increases in p21-WAF1 were also observed in both cell lines confirming that the p53 was functional. The lower apoptotic response of MT1 but similar p53 accumulation in TK6 and MT1 suggest that the mismatch repair protein(s) are involved downstream of p53 or that PhIP-induced apoptosis is p53-independent.

Role of glutathione S‐transferase mu (GSTM1) in styrene‐7,8‐oxide toxicity and mutagenicity

In the human glutathione S-transferase (GST) mu gene family, homozygous deletion of GSTM1 is the null phenotype (frequency of approximately 50% in Caucasians). In the current study, GSTM1 status was determined in human cell lines using reverse transcriptase, polymerase chain reaction, and immunochemistry. Cell lines were challenged with a range of doses of styrene-7,8-oxide (SO) and then toxicity and genotoxicity were monitored. Toxicity was determined by growth in flasks and genotoxicity by cloning in microplates in the presence/absence of 6-thioguanine, to detect mutations at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) locus. A SO concentration-dependent decrease in survival was observed for all cell lines, with GSTM1-deficient lines being more sensitive. The IC(50)s of deficient and proficient cell lines were 0.45 and 0.55 mM SO, respectively. The difference between survival of GSTM1-deficient and -proficient cell lines approached statistical significance. The background mutation frequency of GSTM1-deficient cell lines was 2 x 10(-5), and that of GSTM1-proficient cell lines was 3 x 10(-6). GSTM1-deficient cell lines were significantly more sensitive than GSTM1-proficient cell lines to mutation induction for concentrations up to 2.5 mM SO (P < 0.001, regression analysis). These results suggest that cell lines containing metabolically competent GSTM1 are able to efficiently use GSTM1 to conjugate SO and reduce its hazard. This supports the epidemiological evidence that GSTM1 influences sensitivity to chemical carcinogenesis and subsequent risk of cancer induction.

Effects of sequence divergence on the efficiency of extrachromosomal recombination in mismatch repair proficient and deficient mammalian cell lines.

We have examined the effect of sequence divergence on the efficiency of recombination in mismatch repair proficient and deficient cell lines by using an exon-switch based assay that involves introns as recombination substrates. Sequence divergence of 15% decreased spontaneous recombination by six-fold in mismatch repair proficient cells but only three- and two-fold in human cells with defects in mismatch repair genes MLH1 and MSH2, respectively. The decrease in recombination efficiency in mismatch repair proficient background does not seem to be due to the production of rearranged recombination intermediates since these were readily detectable in the assay system we used. In contrast, the efficiency of double-strand break-induced recombination was not affected by sequence divergence in mismatch repair proficient or deficient background. These results indicate that sequence divergence and mismatch repair block initiation of spontaneous recombination but not recombinational repair of double-strand breaks. The differential sensitivity of these two processes may be required for genome stability.

Differential stability of the DNA-activated protein kinase catalytic subunit mRNA in human glioma cells.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) functions in double-strand break repair and immunoglobulin [V(D)J] recombination. We previously established a radiation-sensitive human cell line, M059J, derived from a malignant glioma, which lacks the catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) of the DNA-PK multiprotein complex. Although previous Northern blot analysis failed to detect the DNA-PKcs transcript in these cells, we show here through quantitative studies that the transcript is present, albeit at greatly reduced (approximately 20x) levels. Sequencing revealed no genetic alteration in either the promoter region, the kinase domain, or the 3' untranslated region of the DNA-PKcs gene to account for the reduced transcript levels. Nuclear run-on transcription assays indicated that the rate of DNA-PKcs transcription in M059J and DNA-PKcs proficient cell lines was similar, but the stability of the DNA-PKcs message in the M059J cell line was drastically (approximately 20x) reduced. Furthermore, M059J cells lack an alternately spliced DNA-PKcs transcript that accounts for a minor (5-20%) proportion of the DNA-PKcs message in all other cell lines tested. Thus, alterations in DNA-PKcs mRNA stability and/or the lack of the alternate mRNA may result in the loss of DNA-PKcs activity. This finding has important implications as DNA-PKcs activity is essential to cells repairing damage induced by radiation or radiomimetric agents.

Modification of non-conservative double-strand break (DSB) rejoining activity after the induction of cisplatin resistance in human tumour cells.

The induction of collateral radioresistance after the development of cisplatin resistance is a well-documented phenomenon; however, the exact processes that are responsible for the cisplatin-induced radioresistance remain to be elucidated. There was no obvious difference in the level of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), in DSB rejoining rates, or the level of the catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) in the cisplatin- and radiation-sensitive 2780/WT and cisplatin-resistant 2780/CP cell lines. However, there was a significantly (P< 0.01) lower level of DSB misrejoining activity within nuclear protein extracts derived from the cisplatin-and radiation-sensitive 2780/WT and OAW42/WT tumour cell lines than in similar extracts from their cisplatin- (and radiation-) resistant 2780/CP and OAW42/CP counterparts. All of the DSB misrejoining events involved deletions of between 134 and 444 bp that arose through illegitimate recombination at short repetitive sequences, such as those that arise through non-homologous repair (NHR). These data further support the notion that the radiosensitivity of DSB repair proficient human tumour cell lines may be partly determined by the predisposition of these cell lines to activate non-conservative DSB rejoining pathways. Furthermore, our data suggest that the induction of acquired cisplatin resistance is associated with a two- to threefold decrease in the activity of a non-conservative DSB rejoining mechanism that appears to be a manifestation of NHR. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign

Topoisomerase activities and levels in irradiated Chinese hamster AA8 cells and in its radiosensitive mutant EM9

Purpose: To investigate possible variations in topoisomerase (topo) I and II activities and levels after X-ray treatment in the radiation repair proficient AA8 Chinese hamster cell line for comparison with the radiation sensitive mutant EM9. Materials and methods: AA8 and EM9 cells were irradiated with 5Gy of X-rays and the activities of topoisomerases I and II in nuclear extracts were studied. Immunological detection of both topoisomerases was carried out in order to detect any changes in the expression of these enzymes as a consequence of irradiation. Results: Topoisomerase activities and levels in irradiated EM9 cells were the same as in control non-irradiated cells. In fact, both topo I and topo II activities clearly increased shortly after irradiation in the parental AA8 cells, with a more rapid increase for topo I than for topo II. In the AA8 cells, an increased level of topo I detectable immunologically was only observed at a later time (1h) after irradiation, while no similar change was detectable for topo II. Conclusions: While this hypothesis needs further testing, an attractive idea is that DNA topoisomerases might be involved in the cellular response to radiation damage, either through a direct participation in repair mechanisms or indirectly.

Repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene of MGMT proficient and deficient human cell lines and comparison with the repair of other genes and a repressed X-chromosomal locus

We studied the repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) in the 5′ terminal part of the transcriptionally inactive O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene of MGMT-deficient human cell lines (A172, A-253 and WI-38 VA13) and in a proficient cell line (HaCaT), in which the MGMT gene was transcribed. Repair rates in the MGMT gene were compared with those in the active uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) and c-myc genes, and those in the repressed X-linked 754 locus and the RNA polymerase I-transcribed ribosomal gene cluster. In the active MGMT gene, there was a distinct strand specificity with more repair in the template (transcribed) strand (TS) than in the non-template strand (NTS). In contrast, no apparent strand bias in the repair of CPDs was observed in the inactive MGMT gene in the MGMT deficient cell lines, although the rates of repair varied between different cell lines. Repair in the inactive MGMT gene was consistently lower than repair in the NTSs of the expressed genes, and approached the generally poor repair of the repressed 754 locus. Whereas repair in the UNG gene was strand-specific in HaCaT, A-172 and WI-38 VA13 cells, no clear strand bias in repair of this gene was evident in A253 cells and repair was relatively inefficient. Although the repair kinetics was essentially similar in the two strands of the c-myc gene in all cell lines examined, the rate and extent of repair were in general significant, probably due to an observed transcription of both strands in the c-myc region. In conclusion, our results indicate that the relative rates of repair in inactive MGMT genes are comparable to those of repressed loci and are lower than repair rates in the NTSs of active genes, but the absolute rate of repair varies between different transformed cells.

Quasipalindrome Instability in the C1 Inhibitor Gene • 20

Mutations disrupting the function or production of C1 inhibitor cause hereditary angioneurotic edema. Frameshift mutations in separate kindred identified an imperfect inverted repeat sequence that was postulated to play a mechanistic role in the mutations. This inverted repeat was cloned into the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene in pBR325 and its mutation rate was studied in four bacterial strains. These strains were selected to assay for effects of recombination and superhelical tension on mutation frequency. Mutations that revert bacteria to chloramphenicol resistance (Cmr) were scored. The recombination proficient cell line RR1 did not produce revertants. The other recombination deficient cell lines had reversion frequencies of approximately 10-9. These rare reversion events in bacteria were most often a frameshift that involved the imperfect inverted repeat with a deletion or a tandem duplication, an event very similar to the human mutations. Increased DNA superhelical tension, that would be expected to enhance cruciform extrusion, did not accentuate mutagenesis (p=0.081). This finding suggests that the imperfect inverted repeat may form a stem loop structure in the single stranded DNA created by the duplex DNA melting prior to replication, and models explaining the slippage can be drawn using the lagging strand of the replication fork. Such intrinsically unstable DNA may have facilitated the apparent enhanced regional evolutionary rate that has been observed in the serine protease inhibitors, the protein superfamily to which C1 inhibitor belongs.

A Chemical and Genetic Approach Together Define the Biological Consequences of 3-Methyladenine Lesions in the Mammalian Genome

DNA-damaging agents produce a plethora of cellular responses that include p53 induction, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. It is generally assumed that it is the DNA damage produced by these agents that triggers such responses, but there is limited direct evidence to support this assumption. Here, we used DNA alkylation repair proficient and deficient isogenic mouse cell lines to demonstrate that the signal to trigger p53 induction, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in response to alkylating agents does emanate from DNA damage. Moreover, we established that 3-methyladenine, a relatively minor DNA lesion produced by most methylating agents (which form mainly 7-methylguanine), can specifically induce sister chromatid exchange, chromatid and chromosome gaps and breaks, S phase arrest, the accumulation of p53, and apoptosis. This study was made possible by the generation of 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase null mutant cells by targeted homologous recombination and by the chemical synthesis of a methylating agent that almost exclusively produces 3-methyladenine DNA lesions. The combined use of these two experimental tools has defined the biological consequences of 3-methyladenine, a DNA lesion produced by endogenous cellular metabolites, environmental carcinogens, and chemotherapeutic alkylating agents.

Correlation between cellular radiosensitivity and non-repaired double-strand breaks studied in nine mammalian cell lines

Purpose: To test the relationship between cell killing and nonrepaired DNA strand breaks both in repair proficient and deficient cell lines. Materials and methods: Five of the cell lines used are repair competent (CHO, CHO K1, rat rhabdomyosarcoma R1H, mouse balb and normal human fibroblasts), while four display a reduced repair capacity (scid, xrs 1, xrs 5, AT). Cell survival was determined by colony formation assay. The total number of strand breaks was measured by the alkaline unwinding technique and the numbers of double-strand breaks by constant-field gel electrophoresis. Results: The nine cell lines showed a broad spectrum in radiosensitivity with SF values ranging from 0.018 to 0.58. The cell lines 2 did not vary in the number of induced strand breaks, neither for all strand breaks nor for double-strand breaks alone. In contrast, there was a large variation in the number of non-repaired strand breaks measured 24 h after irradiation. Comparison of cell killing with the number of non-repaired breaks measured after a dose of 90 Gy showed no correlation for single-strand breaks (r 2 0.29) but a fairly good correlation for double-strand breaks (r 2 0.87). This correlation was found to hold both for repair proficient and deficient cell lines. Conclusions: The results obtained strongly suggest that the number of non-repaired double-strand breaks measured 24 h after irradiation can be used as an indicator of cellular radiosensitivity.

Conditional mutator phenotypes in hMSH2-deficient tumor cell lines.

Two human tumor cell lines that are deficient in the mismatch repair protein hMSH2 show little or no increase in mutation rate relative to that of a mismatch repair-proficient cell line when the cells are maintained in culture conditions allowing rapid growth. However, mutations accumulate at a high rate in these cells when they are maintained at high density. Thus the mutator phenotype of some mismatch repair-deficient cell lines is conditional and strongly depends on growth conditions. These observations have implications for tumor development because they suggest that mutations may accumulate in tumor cells when growth is limited.

P V.11 - P V.11 Repair of DNA adducts induced by 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-(4,5- f) quinoline (IQ), a common food mutagen in cell free extracts of NER proficient and deficient cell lines

P V.11 - P V.11 Repair of DNA adducts induced by 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-(4,5- f) quinoline (IQ), a common food mutagen in cell free extracts of NER proficient and deficient cell lines

Comparative induction of micronuclei in repair-deficient and -proficient Chinese hamster cell lines following clastogen or aneugen exposures

The Chinese hamster cell line V79-4 and two ionising radiation-sensitive mutants irs1 and irs3, were used to assess the genotoxic effects of a clastogen (X-rays), an aneugen (podophyllotoxin) and an agent having both activities (etoposide), using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay combined with kinetochore labelling. All three agents induced micronuclei in a dose-dependent manner. Between 70 and 90% of the micronuclei induced by X-rays were kinetochore-negative and indicative of clastogenic activity, the relative frequencies of which were increased in the repair-deficient cell lines. In contrast, podophyllotoxin induced mainly kinetochore-positive micronuclei (up to 97%) and could be classified as an inducer of chromosome lagging and was essentially aneugenic in its activity. Micronuclei induced by etoposide were 61–84% kinetochore-negative and 26–39% kinetochore-positive, indicating both clastogenic and aneugenic activity. In the case of both etoposide and podophyllotoxin, there were no observed differences in the induction of micronuclei between the wild-type and repair-deficient cell lines. The data demonstrate the effectiveness of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus/kinetochore assay in determining the mechanisms of action of both chemicals and radiations upon chromosome structure and number and the potential influences of repair upon micronuclei induction.

Competency in mismatch repair prohibits clonal expansion of cancer cells treated with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

The phenomenon of alkylation tolerance has been observed in cells that are deficient in some component of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system. An alkylation-induced cell cycle arrest had been reported previously in one MMR-proficient cell line, whereas a MMR-defective clone derived from this line escapes from this arrest. We examined human cancer cell lines to determine if the cell cycle arrest were dependent upon the MMR system. Growth characteristics and cell cycle analysis after MNNG treatment were ascertained in seven MMR-deficient and proficient cell lines, with and without confirmed mutations in hMLH1 or hMSH2 by an in vitro transcription/translation assay. MMR-proficient cells underwent growth arrest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle after the first S phase, whereas MMR-deficient cells escaped an initial G2 delay and resumed a normal growth pattern. In the HCT116 line corrected for defective MMR by chromosome 3 transfer, the G2 phase arrest lasted more than five days. In another MMR-proficient colon cancer cell line, SW480, cell death occurred five days after MNNG treatment. A competent MMR system appears to be necessary for G2 arrest or cell death after alkylation damage, and this cell cycle checkpoint may allow the cell to repair damaged DNA, or prevent the replication of mutated DNA by prohibiting clonal expansion.