Biomedical subjects

B Kaina

Publications and source records attributed to B Kaina.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Chromosomal instability, reproductive cell death and apoptosis induced by O6-methylguanine in Mex-, Mex+ and methylation-tolerant mismatch repair compromised cells: facts and models.

O6-Methylguanine (O6-MeG) is induced in DNA by methylating environmental carcinogens and various cytostatic drugs. It is repaired by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). If not repaired prior to replication, the lesion generates gene mutations and leads to cell death, sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), chromosomal aberrations and malignant transformation. To address the question of how O6-MeG is transformed into genotoxic effects, isogenic Chinese hamster cell lines either not expressing MGMT (phenotypically Mex-), expressing MGMT (Mex+) or exhibiting the tolerance phenotype (Mex-, methylation resistant) were compared as to their clastogenic response. Mex- cells were more sensitive than Mex+ cells to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced chromosomal breakage, with marked differences in sensitivity depending on recovery time. At early recovery time, when cells out of the first post-treatment mitosis were scored, aberration frequency was about 40% reduced in Mex+ as compared to Mex- cells. At later stages of recovery when cells out of the second post-treatment mitosis were analyzed, the frequency of aberrations increased strongly in Mex- cells whereas it dropped to nearly control level in Mex+ cells. From this we conclude that, in the first post-treatment replication cycle of Mex- cells, only a minor part of aberrations (< 40%) was due to O6-MeG whereas, in the second post-treatment replication cycle, the major part of aberrations (> 90%) was caused by the lesion. Thus, O6-MeG is a potent clastogenic DNA damage that needs two DNA replication cycles in order to be transformed with high efficiency into aberrations. The same holds true for sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). MNNG is highly potent in inducing SCEs in Mex- cells in the second replication cycle after alkylation. Under these conditions, SCE induction is nearly completely prevented by the expression of MGMT. This is opposed to SCE induction in the first post-treatment replication cycle, where higher doses of MNNG were required to induce SCEs and no protective effect of MGMT was observed. This indicates that SCEs induced in the first replication cycle after alkylation are due to other lesions than O6-MeG. In methylation tolerant cells, which are characterized by impaired G-T mismatch binding and MSH2 expression, aberration frequency induced by MNNG was weakly reduced in the first and strongly reduced in the second post-treatment mitoses, as compared to CHO wild-type cells. The results indicate that mismatch repair of O6-MeG-T mispairs is decisively involved in O6-MeG born chromosomal instability and recombination. We also show that Mex+ and methylation tolerant cells are more resistant than Mex- cells with regard to induction of apoptosis, indicating O6-MeG to be also an apoptosis-inducing lesion. The data are discussed as to the mechanism of cytotoxicity, aberration and SCE formation in cells treated with a methylating agent.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protects against skin tumor formation induced by antineoplastic chloroethylnitrosourea.

Chloroethylnitrosoureas (CNUs) are being used in the therapy of various neoplastic diseases, including skin cancer. Because secondary tumor formation is a serious threat in chemotherapy with these drugs, we explored whether and to what extent the DNA repair protein DNA-O6-methylguanine:protein-L-cysteine S-methyltransferase (MGMT) protects against CNU-induced tumors. We made use of transgenic mice overexpressing human MGMT in their skin and the initiation-promotion protocol on treatment with 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea (ACNU, nimustine) that is representative of CNUs. ACNU applied topically as a single low dose to the dorsal skin was highly effective in tumor induction in nontransgenic mice, whereas in cytokeratin MGMT transgenic mice, tumor formation was remarkably reduced. ACNU-induced skin tumors harbored mutations in the c-Ha-ras gene in both groups of mice. The results provide clear evidence that MGMT exerts protection against CNU-induced cancer. Our data also indicate that O6-chloroethylguanine, which is repaired by MGMT, is a main precarcinogenic CNU-induced DNA lesion.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

A general role for c-Fos in cellular protection against DNA-damaging carcinogens and cytostatic drugs.

One of the earliest responses of cells upon exposure to DNA-damaging agents is the induction of c-fos. To elucidate the biological role of Fos expression, we analyzed cells deficient in c-Fos upon treatment with different DNA-damaging agents, including carcinogens and antineoplastic drugs. We show that cells lacking c-Fos are hypersensitive with regard to reproductive cell death, apoptosis, and chromosomal breakage after treatment with agents inducing methylation lesions, bulky adducts, or crosslinks in DNA. They were not significantly hypersensitive to ionizing radiation. The activities of various repair enzymes and glutathione S-transferase and the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen were not altered in c-fos-/- fibroblasts. Furthermore, the cells were able to remove the main methylation lesions from DNA. c-Fos-deficient cells exhibited a more severe mutagen-induced block to DNA replication and were compromised in the abolition of replication blockage. The data provide compelling evidence that c-Fos/activator protein-1 plays a decisive and general role in cellular defense against genotoxic agents, which require DNA replication to induce chromosomal instability. They are consistent with the hypothesis that impaired recovery from DNA replication inhibition upon mutagen exposure is causally involved in c-fos-/- hypersensitivity.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

PubMed1997

Expression of yeast but not human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease renders Chinese hamster cells more resistant to DNA damaging agents.

Abasic sites represent ubiquitous DNA lesions that arise spontaneously or are induced by DNA-damaging agents. They block DNA replication and are considered to be cytotoxic and mutagenic. The key enzymes involved in the repair of abasic sites are apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases which process these lesions in an error-free mechanism. To analyze the role of AP endonuclease in the protection of mammalian cells against DNA damaging agents, we have transfected both the human (APE) and the yeast (APN1) AP endonuclease in Chinese hamster cells and compared the effects of expression of these genes in stable transfectants as to survival of cells and formation of chromosomal aberrations. Although APE was markedly expressed on RNA and protein level, nuclear extracts of human APE transfectants did not show a higher AP endonuclease activity than the parental line and became not more resistant to the cell killing and clastogenic effect of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In contrast, cells transfected with the yeast APN1 gene expressed higher AP endonuclease activity and became clearly more resistant to the cytotoxic and chromosome breakage inducing activity of the agents. The results indicate that the excision repair capacity and correspondingly the mutagen resistance can be elevated by introducing, in mammalian cells, a yeast DNA repair gene and verify that AP sites are both cytotoxic and clastogenic lesions.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

High-dose selection with mafosfamide results in sensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents: characterization of hypersensitive cell lines.

One of the most frequently used alkylating drugs in the therapy of a broad spectrum of tumors is cyclophosphamide. To elucidate the mechanisms by which tumor cells acquire resistance to this agent, Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) were treated with a high dose of the cyclophosphamide analogue mafosfamide, and survivors were analyzed as to their cell killing response, chromosomal aberrations, and DNA repair capacity. None of the surviving clones tested were mafosfamide resistant. Surprisingly, some of the isolated cell lines exhibited a mafosfamide-hypersensitive phenotype. Two of these cell variants (designated as CHO-K1-4 and CHO-K1-12) were analyzed in more detail and proved to be cross-sensitive to other DNA cross-linking antineoplastic drugs such as N-hydroxyethyl-N-chloroethylnitrosourea, treosulfan, melphalan, cisplatin, and mitomycin C. The hypersensitivity to the cytotoxic effect of mafosfamide was accompanied by a 2-3-fold increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. The intracellular levels of glutathione and glutathione S-transferase activity of the hypersensitive variants as well as growth rate were comparable to wild-type cells. Both the variant and the parental cells did not exhibit an increase in the amount of p53 upon UV irradiation. Furthermore, sensitive cells displayed similar UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis and showed identical amounts of ERCC1 mRNA as wild-type cells, indicating that the hypersensitive phenotype is not due to a defect in nucleotide excision repair. The induction of DNA single-strand breaks upon mafosfamide treatment was very similar in wild-type and mutants, and the removal of mafosfamide-induced DNA cross-links was not reduced in hypersensitive cells. However, the hypersensitive cell variants exhibited a less severe drug-induced block to DNA replication. From the data obtained, we conclude that hypersensitivity to cross-linking agents upon mafosfamide selection is due to changes in cell cycle progression of drug-treated cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Glutathione, glutathione S-transferase alpha and pi, and aldehyde dehydrogenase content in relationship to drug resistance in ovarian cancer.

Glutathione, glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi, and aldehyde dehydrogenase are associated with resistance to carboplatin and/or cyclophosphamide in cell lines. Therefore, we examined whether the expression of these factors in ovarian cancer tissue specimens is associated with resistance of the patients to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide/carboplatin. Ovarian cancer tissue specimens were taken intraoperatively from 139 patients and frozen in liquid nitrogen, and the contents of glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi, total glutathione, and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity were determined. No association between the levels of glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi or aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in tumor tissue and the survival time was observed in patients with primary ovarian cancer. Significantly higher levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase were observed in FIGO stage I and II compared to FIGO stage III and IV tumors (P = 0.019, Wilcoxon test, two sided). The median survival time was significantly longer in patients with primary ovarian cancer with a tumor glutathione content of <4.9 microg/mg protein compared to patients with a tumor glutathione content of > or =4.9 microg/mg protein (P = 0.047). However, glutathione was not an independent prognostic factor, but was significantly associated with FIGO stage resulting in higher levels in FIGO stage III and IV tumors than in FIGO stage I and II tumors (P = 0.0094, Wilcoxon test, two sided). In conclusion the glutathione content was associated with progression of ovarian carcinomas but neither glutathione nor glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi or aldehyde dehydrogenase were independent factors of resistance to cyclophosphamide/carboplatin.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase↗

PubMed1996

Induction of c-fos, c-jun, junB and junD mRNA and AP-1 by alkylating mutagens in cells deficient and proficient for the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and its relationship to cell death, mutation induction and chromosomal instability.

An early and immediate response of cells upon irradiation with UV light and various other forms of genotoxic stress is the induction of the proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-jun. To address the questions of whether (a) methylating agents that are powerful carcinogens are effective in induction of fos and jun mRNAs, (b) induction is affected by the repair capacity of the cells, and (c) induction is accompanied by genotoxic effects, the levels of c-fos, c-jun, junB and junD mRNA were analysed in isogenic Chinese hamster cell lines deficient (phenotypically Mex-) and proficient (Mex+) for the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) after treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). Both methylating agents were very effective in inducing fos and jun mRNAs, although they differ markedly in their potency to induce O6-methylguanine in DNA. Most responsive were c-fos and c-jun (up to 80-fold increases in mRNA level) whereas junB (up to ninefold) and junD (up to twofold) displayed an intermediate and weak response, respectively. No difference in the dose-dependence of induction of these mRNAs was observed between Mex- and Mex+ cells indicating that the critical genotoxic and mutagenic lesion induced by MNNG, i.e. O6-methylguanine, which is rapidly repaired by MGMT, does not act as a trigger for this response. Induction of fos and jun mRNAs by MNNG and MMS was accompanied by a dose-dependent increase in the activity of the transcription factor AP-1. To induce fos and jun mRNAs as well as AP-1, doses of MNNG were required which were more than 50-fold higher than those inducing gene mutations, recombination events (SCEs) and reproductive cell death, and fivefold higher than those inducing chromosomal aberrations in Mex cells. Therefore, the immediate induction of fos and jun mRNAs and AP-1 in Mex- cells upon their exposure to MNNG appears not to be essential for the generation of MNNG-induced mutagenic and genotoxic effects, which is possibly due to the high genotoxic potential of non-repaired O6-methylguanine. However, for MMS and UV light, which was included in this study for comparison, c-fos, c-jun, junB and junD mRNA as well as AP-1 induction paralleled the dose-response for induction of cell killing effects, recombination and chromosomal breakage indicating that increased expression of Fos and Jun is related to the generation of MMS and UV-induced genetic changes. These data are in line with a model according to which the induced c-Fos and Jun proteins are involved in defense against UV radiation and other DNA damaging agents.

Alkylating Agents↗

PubMed1996

Targeted expression of human O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in transgenic mice protects against tumor initiation in two-stage skin carcinogenesis.

Carcinogenesis proceeds in discrete steps involving initiation and promotion. There is ample evidence that the underlying cause of initiation is mutation, whereas for tumor promotion different hypotheses exist postulating the involvement of both epigenetic and genetic changes. DNA repair protects against tumor formation, but it has not been proven whether protection occurs at the level of tumor initiation or promotion. Since the most advanced experimental system for studying multistep carcinogenesis is the mouse skin, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress the human DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in their epidermal cells by virtue of cytokeratin (Ck) promoters. Total cellular methyltransferase activity was found to be significantly higher in skin protein extracts of transgenic as compared to nontransgenic mice. CkMGMT transgenic mice along with nontransgenic controls were treated according to the multistage skin carcinogenesis protocol. For initiation, a single subthreshold dose of N-nitroso-N-methylurea (MNU) or 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) was topically applied to the dorsal skin of the mice. Tumor promotion was carried out by repeated 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate application. Our results clearly show that CkMGMT transgenic mice are strongly protected against MNU- but not DMBA-initiated skin tumor formation. As compared to nontransgenic controls, transgenic mice exhibited an approximately 6-fold reduction of skin tumor incidence after treatment with 20 micromol or 50 micromol MNU followed by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. These results provide direct and the most compelling evidence to date that the DNA lesion O6-methylguanine is of decisive importance in tumor initiation, and that the protective effect of the repair protein MGMT in carcinogenesis is due to prevention of initiation without affecting tumor promotion.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Protective effect of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) on the cytotoxic and recombinogenic activity of different antineoplastic drugs.

The DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) removes alkyl groups from the O6 position of guanine in DNA and thus may protect cells against genotoxic effects of agents inducing this lesion. To analyze quantitatively the level of protection mediated by MGMT against antineoplastic drugs, we determined the cytotoxic and recombinogenic (sister-chromatid exchange inducing) effects of various chemotherapeutic agents in a pair of isogenic Chinese hamster cell lines deficient and proficient for MGMT, generated upon transfection with human MGMT cDNA. Furthermore, we compared the responses of the human cell lines HeLa MR (MGMT deficient) and HeLa S3 (MGMT proficient) to the various agents. It is shown that: (1) MGMT proficient cells are resistant in cell killing to the methylating drug streptozotocin and all the chloroethylating nitrosoureas tested. There was a marked agent specificity in protection. The level of resistance provoked by MGMT increased in the order BCNU < CCNU < ACNU < HeCNU < streptozotocin. (2) MGMT did not protect cells against killing induced by chlorambucil, cisplatin, melphalan, activated cyclophosphamide (malosfamide) and activated ifosfamide (4-hydroperoxy-ifosfamide). (3) MGMT caused protection against the recombinogenic effect of all nitrosoureas tested. The lowest level of protection was again observed for BCNU, followed by CCNU, ACNU < HeCNU < streptozotocin. (4) MGMT proficient cells did not exhibit resistance in SCE induction towards cyclophosphamide (activated by microsomes), 4-hydroperoxy-ifosfamide, mafosfamide, chlorambucil and melphalan. Some protection was afforded, however, against cisplatin (and transplatin). This effect was abolished by pretreatment of cells with O6-benzylguanine, which depletes MGMT, indicating that some lesion(s) induced by cisplatin giving rise to SCEs can be repaired by MGMT. Taken together, these results indicate that streptozotocin, HeCNU and ACNU are more selective than CCNU and BCNU in killing MGMT deficient cells, and that in the cases of cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, chlorambucil, cisplatin and melphalan MGMT is not involved in mediating cytotoxic drug resistance.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Isolation and analysis of inducibility of the rat N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase promoter.

Alkylations at base nitrogens in DNA are removed by excision repair, the first step of which is catalyzed by the repair enzyme N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG). To study regulation of MPG expression, we have cloned the rat MPG promoter. A cosmid clone containing the rat MPG gene was isolated from a library using rat MPG cDNA as a probe. The 5' part of the MPG gene and the nontranscribed 5'-flanking region were isolated and characterized. Transcription start sites of the rat MPG gene were identified by primer extension and S1 nuclease protection analysis of RNA from primary rat hepatocytes. Promoter activity of the 5'-flanking noncoding region was shown by transfection in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells of various genomic MPG fragments cloned in front of the reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. The rat MPG promoter does not contain a TATA box, but has a CCAAT sequence element and putative binding sites for the transcription factors Sp1, AP-2, AP-3, Ets-1, PEA3, NF-1, p53, c-Myc, NF-kappa B, and the glucocorticoid receptor. The activity of the rat MPG promoter was found to be inducible by the tumor promoter TPA and UV light, but not to a significant extent by methylating agents and ionizing radiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Targeting of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) activity by antimessenger oligonucleotide sensitizes CHO/Mex+ transfected cells to mitozolomide.

The targeting of mRNA with antisense oligonucleotides is increasingly employed to inhibit the expression of gene function. Since the level of the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is decisive in protection of cells against damage produced by alkylating agents, including cytostatic drugs, the targeted inhibition of this repair activity might be of importance for therapeutic approaches. In order to investigate whether antisense targeted MGMT depletion is feasible to transiently modify the sensitivity of cells to anticancer drugs, we studied the expression of MGMT and cellular sensitivity upon inhibitor and antisense treatment using CHO transfectants expressing human MGMT. It was shown by polymerase chain reaction that antisense oligonucleotides specifically inhibited MGMT mRNA level. Nevertheless, MGMT protein was found not to be reduced significantly, as demonstrated by Western blotting. Correspondingly, no significant decrease in MGMT activity was observed, as measured 36 h after MGMT antisense oligonucleotide administration. Given together with the MGMT depleting agent O6-methylguanine, reduction in MGMT protein as well as activity was found. MGMT antisense oligonucleotide enhanced the sensitivity of cells to the tumor therapeutic drug mitozolomide, as measured by sister chromatid exchange formation. This sensitization was further enhanced by combined treatment with antisense oligonucleotide and O6-methylguanine, indicating that MGMT antisense can be supportive in sensitization of cells to an alkylating drug.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Induction of the alkyltransferase (MGMT) gene by DNA damaging agents and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone and comparison with the response of base excision repair genes.

Repair of alkylated bases in DNA is performed by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and a set of enzymes of the base excision repair pathway involving N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), apurinic endonuclease (APE), DNA polymerase beta (Pol beta) and DNA ligase. The level of expression of these enzymes may exert a profound effect on resistance of cells towards alkylating drugs. We have comparatively analyzed the expression of MGMT and the different base excision repair genes in rat hepatoma cells (line H4IIE) after exposure to alkylating agents, X-rays and the glucocorticoid hormone dexamethasone. Furthermore, the effect of these agents on the activity of the cloned human MGMT promoter was assayed. Exposure of cells to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) or ionizing radiation increased MGMT mRNA levels up to 4.5-fold. Under the same conditions of treatment, exerting only a weak toxic effect, MPG and DNA ligase I mRNA levels were not enhanced, whereas the amounts of APE and Pol beta mRNA transiently increased by approximately 2-fold after X-ray and MNNG treatment, respectively. Dexamethasone induced both MGMT, APE and Pol beta mRNA and the induction paralleled the increase in mRNA of the glucocorticoid-dependent gene tyrosine aminotransferase. The observed increase in MGMT mRNA was due to promoter activation, which was shown in transient transfection assays with MGMT promoter-CAT reporter constructs in H4IIE cells. In these assays, the human MGMT promoter was found to be induced by methylating agents (MNNG and methyl methanesulfonate), ionizing radiation and dexamethasone. Weak induction of the promoter was observed after UV irradiation. Treatment with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate was ineffective in promoter activation. The transfected MGMT promoter was not inducible by mutagens in HeLa S3 cells, which do not respond with induction of the endogenous MGMT gene. This is the first report showing hormone induction of a DNA repair gene (MGMT). The induction of MGMT and other genes encoding enzymes involved in DNA alkylation damage repair may be relevant in cancer therapy by causing resistance of tumor cells to alkylating drugs.

Alkylation↗

PubMed1996

Activity of the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in human tumor and corresponding normal tissue.

The DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a main determinant of resistance of cells towards the cytostatic effect of N-nitrosoureas. Here we report the activity of MGMT in different types of human tumors. Colorectal tumors showed the highest mean of MGMT activity (481 +/- 258 fmol/mg protein) followed by ovarian tumors (437 +/- 291 fmol/mg), breast (306 +/- 204 fmol/mg), testicular (299 +/- 179 fmol/mg), and brain tumors (55 +/- 44 fmol/mg). Only in breast and brain tumors were MGMT-deficient samples found, with a frequency of 3 and 5%, respectively. No significant difference in mean MGMT activity was observed between breast tumors of grading I, II, and III. For brain tumors there was a tendency of MGMT to decline with increasing grading. Breast and colorectal carcinomas were compared with the corresponding normal tissue obtained from the same patient. The data showed for 11 out of 12 pairs of breast tissue and for 13 out of 15 pairs of colorectal tissue that MGMT activity in the tumor was equal to or, more frequently, higher than the activity found in the corresponding normal tissue. Thus, it appears that in these groups of tumors, increase of MGMT activity during tumor formation and progression is the rule rather than the exception.

Brain Neoplasms↗

PubMed1995

The ras-related small GTP-binding protein RhoB is immediate-early inducible by DNA damaging treatments.

The low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins RhoA, RhoB, and RhoC are characterized as specific substrates for the ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 from Clostridium botulinum and are supposed to be involved in the organization of the microfilamental network and transformation. rhoB is known to be immediate-early inducible by growth factors and protein-tyrosine kinases. Since increasing evidence indicates overlapping of growth factor- and UV-induced signal pathways, we studied the effect of UV light and other genotoxic agents on early rhoB transcription. Within 30 min after UV irradiation of NIH3T3 cells, the amount of rhoB mRNA increased 3-4-fold. Elevated rhoB mRNA was accompanied by an increase in RhoB protein, as detected by C3-mediated [32P]ADP-ribosylation. The transcription inhibitor actinomycin D prevented the UV-induced increase in rhoB mRNA and proved rhoB mRNA to be unstable with a half-life of approximately 20 min. Transcriptional activation of rhoB by UV light was confirmed by run-on analysis. The increase in rhoB mRNA after UV irradiation was prevented by inhibitors of protein kinase A (H9) and C (H7, Gö18). The tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein did not affect UV induction of rhoB. In addition to UV, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and the cytostatic drug cisplatin evoked rhoB response. Cycloheximide was likewise effective in increasing the amount of rhoB mRNA, whereas Bt2cAMP, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, and retinoic acid were without effect. Prior down-regulation of signaling by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and serum pretreatment reduced UV-stimulated rhoB expression. The data indicate that rhoB represents a novel DNA damage-inducible function involved in early steps of signal transduction upon genotoxic stress.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity in breast and brain tumors.

The DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a main determinant of resistance of tumor cells to the cytostatic activity of chemotherapeutic alkylating agents (methylating and chloroethylating nitrosoureas) and is effective in protecting normal cells against genotoxic and carcinogenic effects resulting from DNA alkylation. Therefore, the level of expression of MGMT is significance for the response of both the tumor and the non-target tissue following application of nitrosoureas in tumor therapy. To determine the expression of MGMT in tumor tissue, we have assayed MGMT activity in 68 breast carcinomas and 38 brain tumors. There was a wide variation of MGMT expression in breast carcinomas ranging from below the level of detection up to 863 fmol/mg protein. About 4% of breast tumors did not display detectable MGMT, 15% had activity lower than 100 fmol/mg protein, and 26% expressed more than 500 fmol/mg. The mean level of expression was 321 fmol/mg. In brain tumors (astrocytoma WHO grade I, II, and III, and glioblastoma WHO grade IV) the MGMT activity was generally lower than in breast tumors, ranging from below the level of detection up to 238 fmol/mg. The mean level of expression was 55 fmol/mg. Five percent of the brain tumors had no detectable MGMT activity. The MGMT repair activity correlated well with the amount of MGMT protein present in tumor samples, as shown by Western-blot analysis, indicating that loss of MGMT repair activity is due to inability of these tumor cells to synthesize the protein.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Constitutive expression and inducibility of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase in rat liver cells exhibiting different status of differentiation.

We have analyzed the expression of the DNA repair genes O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG) at RNA and protein activity level in primary rat hepatocytes in vitro and various rat hepatoma cell lines exhibiting different status of differentiation. The basal level of MGMT mRNA and activity correlated well with the degree of differentiation, as measured by tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) mRNA expression. Induction of MGMT mRNA and protein activity by X-ray and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment was most pronounced in the well-differentiated hepatocytes and in various differentiated hepatoma cell lines (up to 6-fold). There was virtually no induction in H5 hepatoma cells which exhibited the lowest degree of differentiation and expressed only low amounts of MGMT. For the other hepatoma cell lines tested, MGMT induction did not clearly correlate with TAT expression. Thus, Fao cells which exhibited a high degree of differentiation responded only very weakly with respect to induction. The results indicate that the basal level of MGMT mRNA expression is dependent on liver-specific regulatory factors, whereas the inducibility is a more complex phenomenon not solely dependent on them. Contrary to MGMT, MPG was constitutively expressed at relatively high amounts in all cell lines tested and no correlation was apparent with the degree of differentiation. MPG activity was significantly induced by mutagen treatment only in H4IIE cells. The tumor promoter phenobarbital induced MGMT, but not MPG mRNA in hepatocytes. The results indicate that MGMT and MPG are not co-regulated. Hepatoma cells with low MGMT level were most sensitive to MNNG-induced cytotoxicity. On the other hand, no correlation was apparent between MPG activity and sensitivity of the cell lines to methylating agents indicating that the MPG level is not predictive for alkylating drug resistance.

Alkylating Agents↗

PubMed1995

Overexpression of N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase in Chinese hamster ovary cells renders them more sensitive to the production of chromosomal aberrations by methylating agents--a case of imbalanced DNA repair.

The main N-alkylation products induced in DNA by methylating mutagens (7-methylguanine, 3-methyladenine, 3-methylguanine) are removed by excision repair involving, in the first step of the repair pathway, N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG). To elucidate the significance of excision repair of N-alkylpurines in the defense of cells against alkylating agents we have modulated the efficiency of removal of N-methylpurines in Chinese hamster cells by transfecting them with the human MPG cDNA cloned into a mammalian expression vector. Although the stably transfected cells had a significantly higher capacity for removal of N-methylpurines from DNA, they did not gain protection against the cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of alkylating agents. The cells even responded more sensitively with respect to SCE formation. Here we show that the frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by methyl methanesulfonate and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine is significantly enhanced in the transfectants. Furthermore the transfectants showed a stronger inhibition of DNA replication and a higher yield of DNA breaks, as measured several hours after methylating agent exposure. The data suggest that overexpression of MPG causes an imbalance in the multi-step process of excision of N-methylpurines from DNA giving rise to a high yield of apurinic sites and/or gapped DNA that are intermediates in the formation of chromosomal aberrations, SCEs and the inhibition of replication in cells exposed to alkylating agents.

Alkylating Agents↗

PubMed1995

c-Fos is involved in the cellular defence against the genotoxic effect of UV radiation.

The proto-oncogene c-fos encodes a nuclear protein that forms together with c-Jun or other members of the Jun family the transcription factor AP-1. The c-fos gene is inducible by UV radiation and other DNA damaging treatments which may indicate that it is required in defence against DNA damaging agents. To address this hypothesized function of c-Fos, we have compared the response of mouse fibroblasts deficient in c-Fos with the corresponding wild-type cells towards the genotoxicity of UV radiation. It is shown here that lack of c-Fos renders cells hypersensitive to the cytotoxic effect of UV light and gives rise to significant increases of UV-induced chromosomal mutations and DNA breakage. Cells lacking c-Fos were basically able to perform UV-induced repair replication, as measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis. However, with high doses of UV c-Fos deficient cells proved to be less efficient in repair synthesis than wild-type cells. Measurement of overall DNA synthesis after UV irradiation revealed that cells deficient in c-Fos are more inhibited in their recovery from the UV-induced block to replication. These data strongly suggest that c-Fos is involved in regulating the timing of DNA replication after UV irradiation by abolition of the UV-induced block to replication and thus appears to play a decisive role in the cellular defence against the genotoxic effects induced by UV radiation.

3T3 Cells↗