PubMed · 7427284
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B J Culliton, W K Waterfall. 1980-08-02. Hazards at work.. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.281.6236.376
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The gene mutated in the autosomal recessive disorder ataxia telangiectasia (AT), designated ATM (for 'AT mutated'), is a member of a family of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-like enzymes that are involved in cell-cycle control, meiotic recombination, telomere length monitoring and DNA-damage response. Previous results have demonstrated that AT cells are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation and are defective at the G1/S checkpoint after radiation damage. Because cells lacking the protein tyrosine kinase c-Abl are also defective in radiation-induced G1 arrest, we investigated the possibility that ATM might interact with c-Abl in response to radiation damage. Here we show that ATM binds c-Abl constitutively in control cells but not in AT cells. Our results demonstrate that the SH3 domain of c-Abl interacts with a DPAPNPPHFP motif (residues 1,373-1,382) of ATM. The results also reveal that radiation-induction of c-Abl tyrosine kinase activity is diminished in AT cells. These findings indicate that ATM is involved in the activation of c-Abl by DNA damage and this interaction may in part mediate radiation-induced G1 arrest.
Mutations in the ATM gene are responsible for the multisystem disorder ataxia-telangiectasia, characterized by neurodegeneration, immune deficiency and cancer predisposition. While no alternative splicing was identified within the coding region, the first four exons of the ATM gene, which fall within the 5'untranslated region (UTR), undergo extensive alternative splicing. We identified 12 different 5'UTRs that show considerable diversity in length and sequence contents. These mRNA leaders, which range from 150 to 884 nucleotides (nt), are expected to form variable secondary structures and contain different numbers of AUG codons. The longest 5'UTR contains a total of 18 AUGs upstream of the translation start site. The 3'UTR of 3590 nt is contained within a single 3'exon. Alternative polyadenylation results in 3'UTRs of varying lengths. These structural features suggest that ATM expression might be subject to complex post-transcriptional regulation, enabling rapid modulation of ATM protein level in response to environmental stimuli or alterations in cellular physiological states.
A characteristic series of immunological abnormalities are observed in the human genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). The recent cloning of a gene mutated in this syndrome provides additional evidence for a defect in intracellular signaling in A-T. We have investigated the possibility that signaling through the B cell antigen receptor is one manifestation of the A-T defect. In response to cross-linking of the B cell receptor, several A-T cell lines were defective in their mitogenic response; in addition Ca2+ mobilization from internal stores was either absent or considerably reduced in these cell lines in response to cross-linking. The defect in signaling was not due to difference in expression of surface immunoglobulin. The defective response in A-T cells was also evident in several arms of the intracellular cascade activated by B cell cross-linking. Tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma1, a key step in activation of the enzyme, was reduced or negligible in some A-T cell lines. This defect in signaling was also seen at the level of Lyn tyrosine kinase activation and its association with and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Our results provide evidence for a role for the ATM gene product in intracellular signaling which may account at least in part for the abnormalities in B cell function in A-T.