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Vilhelm A Bohr

Publications and source records attributed to Vilhelm A Bohr.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Gene-specific and mitochondrial repair of oxidative DNA damage.

The Southern blot gene-specific DNA damage and repair assay is a robust and flexible method for quantifying many kinds of induced damage and repair with high reproducibility. Specific nicking and loss of a restricted DNA fragment at the site of induced damage is visualized by Southern blot and quantified against a control; since the blot is gene specific, only the damage of interest is measured. Here we show how the assay may be adapted to assess mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage. In the mitochondrion, 8-oxoguanine is a significant oxidative lesion; in the laboratory, photoactivated methylene blue may be used to introduce this lesion into cells. Other lesions may also be studied by using different DNA damaging agents. We find that damage induction by methylene blue is consistently far greater in the mitochondrion than the nucleus. Thus advantageously, mitochondrial 8-oxoguanine repair may be studied without mtDNA isolation or preparation, which are processes known to induce DNA damage and skew measurements. This chapter gives detailed instructions for using methylene blue and the gene-specific repair assay to accurately measure mitochondrial oxidative damage and repair rates.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed2005

Gene expression and DNA repair in progeroid syndromes and human aging.

Human progeroid syndromes are caused by mutations in single genes accelerating some but not all features of normal aging. Most progeroid disorders are linked to defects in genome maintenance, and while it remains unknown if similar processes underlie normal and premature aging, they provide useful models for the study of aging. Altered transcription is speculated to play a causative role in aging, and is involved in the pathology of most if not all progeroid syndromes. Previous studies demonstrate that there is a similar pattern of gene expression changes in primary cells from old and Werner syndrome compared to young suggesting a presence of common cellular aging mechanisms in old and progeria. Here we review the role of transcription in progeroid syndromes and discuss the implications of similar transcription aberrations in normal and premature aging.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Repair of formamidopyrimidines in DNA involves different glycosylases: role of the OGG1, NTH1, and NEIL1 enzymes.

The oxidatively induced DNA lesions 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyG) and 4,6-diamino-5-formamidopyrimidine (FapyA) are formed abundantly in DNA of cultured cells or tissues exposed to ionizing radiation or to other free radical-generating systems. In vitro studies indicate that these lesions are miscoding, can block the progression of DNA polymerases, and are substrates for base excision repair. However, no study has yet addressed how these lesions are metabolized in cellular extracts. The synthesis of oligonucleotides containing FapyG and FapyA at defined positions was recently reported. These constructs allowed us to investigate the repair of Fapy lesions in nuclear and mitochondrial extracts from wild type and knock-out mice lacking the two major DNA glycosylases for repair of oxidative DNA damage, OGG1 and NTH1. The background level of FapyG/FapyA in DNA from these mice was also determined. Endogenous FapyG levels in liver DNA from wild type mice were significantly higher than 8-hydroxyguanine levels. FapyG and FapyA were efficiently repaired in nuclear and mitochondrial extracts from wild type animals but not in the glycosylase-deficient mice. Our results indicated that OGG1 and NTH1 are the major DNA glycosylases for the removal of FapyG and FapyA, respectively. Tissue-specific analysis suggested that other DNA glycosylases may contribute to FapyA repair when NTH1 is poorly expressed. We identified NEIL1 in liver mitochondria, which could account for the residual incision activity in the absence of OGG1 and NTH1. FapyG and FapyA levels were significantly elevated in DNA from the knock-out mice, underscoring the biological role of OGG1 and NTH1 in the repair of these lesions.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Modulation of Werner syndrome protein function by a single mutation in the conserved RecQ domain.

Naturally occurring mutations in the human RECQ3 gene result in truncated Werner protein (WRN) and manifest as a rare premature aging disorder, Werner syndrome. Cellular and biochemical studies suggest a multifaceted role of WRN in DNA replication, DNA repair, recombination, and telomere maintenance. The RecQ C-terminal (RQC) domain of WRN was determined previously to be the major site of interaction for DNA and proteins. By using site-directed mutagenesis in the WRN RQC domain, we determined which amino acids might be playing a critical role in WRN function. A site-directed mutation at Lys-1016 significantly decreased WRN binding to fork or bubble DNA substrates. Moreover, the Lys-1016 mutation markedly reduced WRN helicase activity on fork, D-loop, and Holliday junction substrates in addition to reducing significantly the ability of WRN to stimulate FEN-1 incision activities. Thus, DNA binding mediated by the RQC domain is crucial for WRN helicase and its coordinated functions. Our nuclear magnetic resonance data on the three-dimensional structure of the wild-type RQC and Lys-1016 mutant proteins display a remarkable similarity in their structures.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

Deficient DNA repair in the human progeroid disorder, Werner syndrome.

The study of how DNA repair mechanisms change with aging is central to our understanding of the aging process. Here, I review the molecular functions of a key aging protein, Werner protein (WRN), which is deficient in the premature aging disorder, Werner syndrome (WS). This protein plays a significant role in DNA repair, particularly in base excision repair and in recombination. WRN may be a key regulatory factor in these processes and may also play a role in coordinating them. WRN belongs to the RecQ helicase family of proteins, often referred to as the guardians of the genome. These proteins appear to integrate with the more classic DNA repair pathways and proteins.

DNA Helicases↗
PubMed2005

Gene expression responses to DNA damage are altered in human aging and in Werner Syndrome.

The accumulation of DNA damage and mutations is considered a major cause of cancer and aging. While it is known that DNA damage can affect changes in gene expression, transcriptional regulation after DNA damage is poorly understood. We characterized the expression of 6912 genes in human primary fibroblasts after exposure to three different kinds of cellular stress that introduces DNA damage: 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), gamma-irradiation, or UV-irradiation. Each type of stress elicited damage specific gene expression changes of up to 10-fold. A total of 85 genes had similar changes in expression of 3-40-fold after all three kinds of stress. We examined transcription in cells from young and old individuals and from patients with Werner syndrome (WS), a segmental progeroid condition with a high incidence of cancer, and found various age-associated transcriptional changes depending upon the type of cellular stress. Compared to young individuals, both WS and old individuals had similarly aberrant transcriptional responses to gamma- and UV-irradiation, suggesting a role for Werner protein in stress-induced gene expression. Our results suggest that aberrant DNA damage-induced gene regulation may contribute to the aging process and the premature aging in WS.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗
PubMed2005

POT1 stimulates RecQ helicases WRN and BLM to unwind telomeric DNA substrates.

Defects in human RecQ helicases WRN and BLM are responsible for the cancer-prone disorders Werner syndrome and Bloom syndrome. Cellular phenotypes of Werner syndrome and Bloom syndrome, including genomic instability and premature senescence, are consistent with telomere dysfunction. RecQ helicases are proposed to function in dissociating alternative DNA structures during recombination and/or replication at telomeric ends. Here we report that the telomeric single-strand DNA-binding protein, POT1, strongly stimulates WRN and BLM to unwind long telomeric forked duplexes and D-loop structures that are otherwise poor substrates for these helicases. This stimulation is dependent on the presence of telomeric sequence in the duplex regions of the substrates. In contrast, POT1 failed to stimulate a bacterial 3'-5'-helicase. We find that purified POT1 binds to WRN and BLM in vitro and that full-length POT1 (splice variant 1) precipitates a higher amount of endogenous WRN protein, compared with BLM, from the HeLa nuclear extract. We propose roles for the cooperation of POT1 with RecQ helicases WRN and BLM in resolving DNA structures at telomeric ends, in a manner that protects the telomeric 3' tail as it is exposed during unwinding.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA-repair capacity of various brain regions in mouse is altered in an age-dependent manner.

Aging is associated with increased susceptibility to neuronal loss and disruption of cerebral function either as a component of senescence, or as a consequence of neurodegenerative disease or stroke. Here we report differential changes in the repair of oxidative DNA damage in various brain regions during aging. We evaluated mitochondrial and nuclear incision activities of oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) and the endonuclease III homologue (NTH1) in the caudate nucleus (CN), frontal cortex (FC), hippocampus (Hip), cerebellum (CE) and brain stem (BS) of 6- and 18-month-old male C57Bl/6 mice. We observed a significant age-dependent decrease in incision activities of all three glycosylases in the mitochondria of all brain regions, whereas variable patterns of changes were seen in nuclei. No age- or region-specific changes were observed in the mitochondrial repair synthesis incorporation of uracil-initiated base-excision repair (BER). We did not observe any age or region dependent differences in levels of BER proteins among the five brain regions. In summary, our data suggest that a decreased efficiency of mitochondrial BER-glycosylases and increased oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA might contribute to the normal aging process. These data provide a novel characterization of oxidative DNA damage processing in different brain regions implicated in various neurodegenerative disorders, and suggest that this process is regulated in an age-dependent manner. Manipulation of DNA repair mechanisms may provide a strategy to prevent neuronal loss during age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

The HRDC domain of BLM is required for the dissolution of double Holliday junctions.

Bloom's syndrome is a hereditary cancer-predisposition disorder resulting from mutations in the BLM gene. In humans, BLM encodes one of five members of the RecQ helicase family. One function of BLM is to act in concert with topoisomerase IIIalpha (TOPO IIIalpha) to resolve recombination intermediates containing double Holliday junctions by a process called double Holliday junction dissolution, herein termed dissolution. Here, we show that dissolution is highly specific for BLM among human RecQ helicases and critically depends upon a functional HRDC domain in BLM. We show that the HRDC domain confers DNA structure specificity, and is required for the efficient binding to and unwinding of double Holliday junctions, but not for the unwinding of a simple partial duplex substrate. Furthermore, we show that lysine-1270 of BLM, which resides in the HRDC domain and is predicted to play a role in mediating interactions with DNA, is required for efficient dissolution.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

Oxidized guanine lesions and hOgg1 activity in lung cancer.

In humans, the oxidatively induced DNA lesion 8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxoG) is removed from DNA by hOgg1, a DNA glycosylase/AP lyase that specifically incises 8-oxoG opposite cytosine. We analysed the expression of hOGG1 mRNA in 18 lung cancer and three normal cell lines. Although hOGG1 was overexpressed in most cell lines, 2/18 (11.1%) showed a lower hOGG1 mRNA and protein expression (approximately 80% decrease) relative to normal cell lines. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed increased levels of 8-oxoG in the two cell lines with the lowest hOGG1 mRNA expression. We examined the ability of nuclear and mitochondrial extracts to incise 8-oxoG lesion in cell lines H1650 and H226 expressing lower hOGG1 mRNA and H1915 and H1975 with higher than normal hOGG1 mRNA expression. Both nuclear and mitochondrial extracts from H1915 and H1975 cells were proficient in 8-oxoG removal. However, both cell lines with the lowest hOGG1 mRNA expression exhibited a severe reduction in 8-oxoG incision in both nuclear and mitochondrial extracts. Under-expression of hOGG1 mRNA and hOgg1 protein was associated with a decrease in mitochondrial DNA repair in response to oxidative damaging agents. These results provide evidence for defective incision of 8-oxoG in both nuclear and mitochondria of H1650 and H226 lung cancer cell lines. These results may implicate 8-oxoG repair defects in certain lung cancers.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed2005

Phosphorylation of human oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (alpha-OGG1) modulates its function.

Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) initiates the repair of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a major oxidative DNA base modification that has been directly implicated in cancer and aging. OGG1 functions in the base excision repair pathway, for which a molecular hand-off mechanism has been proposed. To date, only one functional and a few physical protein interactions have been reported for OGG1. Using the yeast two-hybrid system and a protein array membrane, we identified two novel protein interactions of OGG1, with two different protein kinases: Cdk4, a serine-threonine kinase, and c-Abl, a tyrosine kinase. We confirmed these interactions in vitro using recombinant proteins and in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation from whole cell extracts. OGG1 is phosphorylated in vitro by Cdk4, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in the 8-oxoG/C incision activity of OGG1. C-Abl tyrosine phosphorylates OGG1 in vitro; however, this phosphorylation event does not affect OGG1 8-oxoG/C incision activity. These results provide the first evidence that a post-translational modification of OGG1 can affect its catalytic activity. The distinct functional outcomes from serine/threonine or tyrosine phosphorylation may indicate that activation of different signal transduction pathways modulate OGG1 activity in different ways.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2005

Oxidative damage in telomeric DNA disrupts recognition by TRF1 and TRF2.

The ends of linear chromosomes are capped by protein-DNA complexes termed telomeres. Telomere repeat binding factors 1 and 2 (TRF1 and TRF2) bind specifically to duplex telomeric DNA and are critical components of functional telomeres. Consequences of telomere dysfunction include genomic instability, cellular apoptosis or senescence and organismal aging. Mild oxidative stress induces increased erosion and loss of telomeric DNA in human fibroblasts. We performed binding assays to determine whether oxidative DNA damage in telomeric DNA alters the binding activity of TRF1 and TRF2 proteins. Here, we report that a single 8-oxo-guanine lesion in a defined telomeric substrate reduced the percentage of bound TRF1 and TRF2 proteins by at least 50%, compared with undamaged telomeric DNA. More dramatic effects on TRF1 and TRF2 binding were observed with multiple 8-oxo-guanine lesions in the tandem telomeric repeats. Binding was likewise disrupted when certain intermediates of base excision repair were present within the telomeric tract, namely abasic sites or single nucleotide gaps. These studies indicate that oxidative DNA damage may exert deleterious effects on telomeres by disrupting the association of telomere-maintenance proteins TRF1 and TRF2.

DNA↗
PubMed2005

Rare diseases provide rare insights into DNA repair pathways, TFIIH, aging and cancer center.

The study of rare human diseases has been instrumental in the development of our understanding of human DNA repair processes. This meeting focused on three disorders of DNA repair and transcription: Cockayne syndrome (CS), xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and trichothiodystrophy (TTD). For the first time, clinicians, basic researchers and patient advocates met together, shared information and discussed their needs and goals. Cancer susceptibility varies greatly from more than 1000-fold increase in XP to normal in CS and TTD. Some patients with CS, XP or TTD have progressive neurological degeneration. The clinical diagnosis of these disorders involves evaluation by several specialties including neurology, dermatology, radiology, pathology and genetics. There is a pressing need for a laboratory to perform clinically certified diagnostic testing in the US. These diseases are quite complex and overlap syndromes have been found. Each can arise from mutations in more than one gene and conversely, different mutations in one gene can give rise to more than one clinical disease. Some of the proteins that are defective in these disorders function in both DNA repair and transcription. They respond to UV and oxidative DNA damage and involve varied functions such as DNA unwinding, transcription initiation, protein ubiquitination, nuclear receptor phosphorylation, promoter release and myc homeostasis. Mouse models offer the possibility of exploring the effects of complex interactions among these genes. These issues were all discussed at a recent workshop.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Werner syndrome protein associates with gamma H2AX in a manner that depends upon Nbs1.

The WRN protein is mutated in the chromosomally unstable Werner syndrome (WS) and the Nbs1 protein is mutated in Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS). The Nbs1 protein is an integral component of the M/R/N complex. Although WRN is known to interact with this complex in response to gamma-irradiation, the mechanism of action is unclear. Here, we show that WRN co-localizes and associates with gamma H2AX, a marker protein of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), after cellular exposure to gamma-irradiation. While the DNA damage-inducible Nbs1 foci formation is normal in WS cells, WRN focus formation is defective in NBS cells. Consistent with this, gamma H2AX colocalizes with Nbs1 in WS cells but not with WRN in NBS cells. The defective WRN-gamma H2AX association in NBS cells can be complemented with wild-type Nbs1, but not with an Nbs1 S343A point mutant that lacks an ATM phosphorylation site. WRN associates with H2AX in a manner dependent upon the M/R/N complex. Our results suggest a novel pathway in which Nbs1 may recruit WRN to the site of DNA DSBs in an ATM-dependent manner.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗
PubMed2005

Pathways and functions of the Werner syndrome protein.

Mutations in human WRN (also known as RECQ3) gene give rise to a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder, Werner syndrome (WS). WS is a premature aging disease characterized by predisposition to cancer and early onset of symptoms related to normal aging including osteoporosis, ocular cataracts, graying and loss of hair, diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, and atherosclerosis. This review focuses on the functional role of Werner protein (WRN) in guarding the genetic stability of cells, particularly by playing an integral role in the base excision repair, and at the telomere ends. Furthermore, in-depth biochemical investigations have significantly advanced our understanding of WRN protein regarding its binding partners and the site of protein-protein interaction. The mapping analysis of protein interaction sites in WRN for most of its binding partners have revealed a common site of protein-protein interaction in the RecQ conserved (RQC) region of WRN.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

Cellular dynamics and modulation of WRN protein is DNA damage specific.

The human premature aging protein Werner (WRN), deficient in Werner syndrome (WS), is localized mainly to the nucleolus in many cell types. DNA damage or replication arrest causes WRN to redistribute from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm into discrete foci. In this study, we have investigated DNA damage specific cellular redistribution of WRN. In response to agents causing DNA double strand breaks or DNA base damage, WRN is re-distributed from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm in a reversible manner. However, after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation such redistribution of WRN is largely absent. We also show that WRN is associated with the insoluble protein fraction of cells after exposure to various kinds of DNA damage but not after UV irradiation. Further, we have studied the DNA damage specific post-translational modulation of WRN. Our results show that WRN is acetylated after mytomycin C or methyl methane-sulfonate treatment, but not after UV irradiation. Also, DNA damage specific phosphorylation of WRN is absent in UV irradiated cells. Inhibition of phosphorylation fails to restore WRN localization. Thus, our results suggest that the dynamics of WRN protein trafficking is DNA damage specific and is related to its post-translational modulation. The results also indicate a preferred role of WRN in recombination and base excision repair rather than nucleotide excision repair.

Androstadienes↗
PubMed2005

The Cockayne syndrome group B protein is a functional dimer.

Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare inherited human genetic disorder characterized by developmental abnormalities, UV sensitivity, and premature aging. The CS group B (CSB) protein belongs to the SNF2-family of DNA-dependent ATPases and is implicated in transcription elongation, transcription coupled repair, and base excision repair. It is a DNA stimulated ATPase and remodels chromatin in vitro. We demonstrate for the first time that full-length CSB positively cooperates in ATP hydrolysis as a function of protein concentration. We have investigated the quaternary structure of CSB using a combination of protein-protein complex trapping experiments and gel filtration, and found that CSB forms a dimer in solution. Chromatography studies revealed that enzymatically active CSB has an apparent molecular mass of approximately 360 kDa, consistent with dimerization of CSB. Importantly, in vivo protein cross-linking showed the presence of the CSB dimer in the nucleus of HeLa cells. We further show that dimerization occurs through the central ATPase domain of the protein. These results have implications for the mechanism of action of CSB, and suggest that other SNF2-family members might also function as dimers.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗