Dennis A. Simpson

An ATR- and Chk1-Dependent S Checkpoint Inhibits Replicon Initiation following UVC-Induced DNA Damage

ABSTRACT Inhibition of replicon initiation is a stereotypic DNA damage response mediated through S checkpoint mechanisms not yet fully understood. Studies were undertaken to elucidate the function of checkpoint proteins in the inhibition of replicon initiation following irradiation with 254 nm UV light (UVC) of diploid human fibroblasts immortalized by the ectopic expression of telomerase. Velocity sedimentation analysis of nascent DNA molecules revealed a 50% inhibition of replicon initiation when normal human fibroblasts were treated with a low dose of UVC (1 J/m2). Ataxia telangiectasia (AT), Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS), and AT-like disorder fibroblasts, which lack an S checkpoint response when exposed to ionizing radiation, responded normally when exposed to UVC and inhibited replicon initiation. Pretreatment of normal and AT fibroblasts with caffeine or UCN-01, inhibitors of ATR (AT mutated and Rad3 related) and Chk1, respectively, abolished the S checkpoint response to UVC. Moreover, overexpression of kinase-inactive ATR in U2OS cells severely attenuated UVC-induced Chk1 phosphorylation and reversed the UVC-induced inhibition of replicon initiation, as did overexpression of kinase-inactive Chk1. Taken together, these data suggest that the UVC-induced S checkpoint response of inhibition of replicon initiation is mediated by ATR signaling through Chk-1 and is independent of ATM, Nbs1, and Mre11.

Cdc7/Dbf4 and the human S checkpoint response to UVC

The S checkpoint response to ultraviolet radiation (UVC) that inhibits replicon initiation is dependent on the ATR and Chk1 kinases. Downstream effectors of this response, however, are not well characterized. Data reported here eliminated Cdc25A degradation and inhibition of Cdk2-cyclin E as intrinsic components of the UVC-induced pathway of inhibition of replicon initiation in human cells. A sublethal dose of UVC (1 J/m2), which selectively inhibits replicon initiation by 50%, failed to reduce the amount of Cdc25A protein or decrease Cdk2-cyclin E kinase activity. Cdc25A degradation was observed after irradiation with cytotoxic fluences of UVC, suggesting that severe inhibition of DNA chain elongation and activation of the replication checkpoint might be responsible for the UVC-induced degradation of Cdc25A. Another proposed effector of the S checkpoint is the Cdc7-Dbf4 complex. Dbf4 interacted weakly with Chk1 in vivo but was recognized as a substrate for Chk1-dependent phosphorylation in vitro. FLAG-Dbf4 formed complexes with endogenous Cdc7, and this interaction was stable in UVC-irradiated HeLa cells. Overexpression of FLAG- or Myc-tagged Dbf4 abrogated the S checkpoint response to UVC but not ionizing radiation. These findings implicate a Dbf4-dependent kinase as a possible target of the ATR- and Chk1-dependent S checkpoint response to UVC.

Profiles of global gene expression in ionizing-radiation-damaged human diploid fibroblasts reveal synchronization behind the G1 checkpoint in a G0-like state of quiescence.

Cell cycle arrest and stereotypic transcriptional responses to DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation (IR) were quantified in telomerase-expressing human diploid fibroblasts. Analysis of cytotoxicity demonstrated that 1.5 Gy IR inactivated colony formation by 40–45% in three fibroblast lines; this dose was used in all subsequent analyses. Fibroblasts exhibited > 90% arrest of progression from G2 to M at 2 hr post-IR and a similarly severe arrest of progression from G1 to S at 6 and 12 hr post-IR. Normal rates of DNA synthesis and mitosis 6 and 12 hr post-IR caused the S and M compartments to empty by > 70% at 24 hr. Global gene expression was analyzed in IR-treated cells. A microarray analysis algorithm, EPIG, identified nine IR-responsive patterns of gene expression that were common to the three fibroblast lines, including a dominant p53-dependent G1 checkpoint response. Many p53 target genes, such as CDKN1A, GADD45, BTG2, and PLK3, were significantly up-regulated at 2 hr post-IR. Many genes whose expression is regulated by E2F family transcription factors, including CDK2, CCNE1, CDC6, CDC2, MCM2, were significantly down-regulated at 24 hr post-IR. Numerous genes that participate in DNA metabolism were also markedly repressed in arrested fibroblasts apparently as a result of cell synchronization behind the G1 checkpoint. However, cluster and principal component analyses of gene expression revealed a profile 24 hr post-IR with similarity to that of G0 growth quiescence. The results reveal a highly stereotypic pattern of response to IR in human diploid fibroblasts that reflects primarily synchronization behind the G1 checkpoint but with prominent induction of additional markers of G0 quiescence such as GAS1.

Topoisomerase IIα maintains genomic stability through decatenation G2 checkpoint signaling

Topoisomerase IIα (topoIIα) is an essential mammalian enzyme that topologically modifies DNA and is required for chromosome segregation during mitosis. Previous research suggests that inhibition of topoII decatenatory activity triggers a G2 checkpoint response, which delays mitotic entry because of insufficient decatenation of daughter chromatids. Here we examine the effects of both topoIIα and topoIIβ on decatenatory activity in cell extracts, DNA damage and decatenation G2 checkpoint function, and the frequencies of p16INK4A allele loss and gain. In diploid human fibroblast lines, depletion of topoIIα by small-interfering RNA was associated with severely reduced decatenatory activity, delayed progression from G2 into mitosis and insensitivity to G2 arrest induced by the topoII catalytic inhibitor ICRF-193. Furthermore, interphase nuclei of topoIIα-depleted cells showed increased frequencies of losses and gains of the tumor suppressor genetic locus p16INK4A. This study shows that the topoIIα protein is required for decatenation G2 checkpoint function, and inactivation of decatenation and the decatenation G2 checkpoint leads to abnormal chromosome segregation and genomic instability.

A Single Amino Acid Change in nsP1 Attenuates Neurovirulence of the Sindbis-Group Alphavirus S.A.AR86

ABSTRACT S.A.AR86, a member of the Sindbis group of alphaviruses, is neurovirulent in adult mice and has a unique threonine at position 538 of nsP1; nonneurovirulent members of this group of alphaviruses encode isoleucine. Isoleucine was introduced at position 538 in the wild-type S.A.AR86 infectious clone, ps55, and virus derived from this mutant clone, ps51, was significantly attenuated for neurovirulence compared to that derived from ps55. Intracranial (i.c.) s55 infection resulted in severe disease, including hind limb paresis, conjunctivitis, weight loss, and death in 89% of animals. In contrast, s51 caused fewer clinical signs and no mortality. Nevertheless, comparison of the virus derived from the mutant (ps51) and wild-type (ps55) S.A.AR86 molecular clones demonstrated that s51 grew as well as or better than the wild-type s55 virus in tissue culture and that viral titers in the brain following i.c. infection with s51 were equivalent to those of wild-type s55 virus. Analysis of viral replication within the brain by in situ hybridization revealed that both viruses established infection in similar regions of the brain at early times postinfection (12 to 72 h). However, at late times postinfection, the wild-type s55 virus had spread throughout large areas of the brain, while the s51 mutant exhibited a restricted pattern of replication. This suggests that s51 is either defective in spreading throughout the brain at late times postinfection or is cleared more rapidly than s55. Further evidence for the contribution of nsP1 Thr 538 to S.A.AR86 neurovirulence was provided by experiments in which a threonine residue was introduced at nsP1 position 538 of Sindbis virus strain TR339, which is nonneurovirulent in weanling mice. The resulting virus, 39ns1, demonstrated significantly increased neurovirulence and morbidity, including weight loss and hind limb paresis. These results demonstrate a role for alphavirus nonstructural protein genes in adult mouse neurovirulence.

The Epstein-Barr Virus Immediate-Early Protein BZLF1 Induces both a G2 and a Mitotic Block

ABSTRACT The Epstein-Barr virus immediate-early protein BZLF1 is a transcriptional activator that mediates the switch from latent to lytic infection. Here we demonstrate that BZLF1 induces both a G2 block and a mitotic block in HeLa cells and inhibits chromosome condensation. While the G2 block is associated with decreased cyclin B1 in host cells and can be rescued by overexpression of cyclin B1, the mechanism for the mitotic defect is as yet undetermined.

An Attenuating Mutation in nsP1 of the Sindbis-Group Virus S.A.AR86 Accelerates Nonstructural Protein Processing and Up-Regulates Viral 26S RNA Synthesis

ABSTRACT The Sindbis-group alphavirus S.A.AR86 encodes a threonine at nonstructural protein 1 (nsP1) 538 that is associated with neurovirulence in adult mice. Mutation of the nsP1 538 Thr to the consensus Ile found in nonneurovirulent Sindbis-group alphaviruses attenuates S.A.AR86 for adult mouse neurovirulence, while introduction of Thr at position 538 in a nonneurovirulent Sindbis virus background confers increased neurovirulence (M. T. Heise et al., J. Virol. 74:4207-4213, 2000). Since changes in the viral nonstructural region are likely to affect viral replication, studies were performed to evaluate the effect of Thr or Ile at nsP1 538 on viral growth, nonstructural protein processing, and RNA synthesis. Multistep growth curves in Neuro2A and BHK-21 cells revealed that the attenuated s51 (nsP1 538 Ile) virus had a slight, but reproducible growth advantage over the wild-type s55 (nsP1 538 Thr) virus. nsP1 538 lies within the cleavage recognition domain between nsP1 and nsP2, and the presence of the attenuating Ile at nsP1 538 accelerated the processing of S.A.AR86 nonstructural proteins both in vitro and in infected cells. Since nonstructural protein processing is known to regulate alphavirus RNA synthesis, experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of Ile or Thr at nsP1 538 on viral RNA synthesis. A combination of S.A.AR86-derived reporter assays and RNase protection assays determined that the presence of Ile at nsP1 538 led to earlier expression from the viral 26S promoter without affecting viral minus- or plus-strand synthesis. These results suggest that slower nonstructural protein processing and delayed 26S RNA synthesis in wild-type S.A.AR86 infections may contribute to the adult mouse neurovirulence phenotype of S.A.AR86.

Human papilloma virus type16 E6 deregulates CHK1 and sensitizes human fibroblasts to environmental carcinogens independently of its effect on p53

After treatment with ultraviolet radiation (UV), human fibroblasts that express the HPV type 16 E6 oncoprotein display defects in repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, hypersensitivity to inactivation of clonogenic survival and an inability to sustain DNA replication. To determine whether these effects are specific to depletion of p53 or inactivation of its function , fibroblast lines were constructed with ectopic expression of a dominant-negative p53 allele (p53-H179Q) to inactivate function or a short-hairpin RNA (p53-RNAi) to deplete expression of p53. Only the expression of HPV16E6 sensitized fibroblasts to UV or the chemical carcinogen, benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide I (BPDE). Carcinogen-treated cells expressing p53-H179Q or p53-RNAi were resistant to inactivation of colony formation and did not suffer replication arrest. CHK1 is a key checkpoint kinase in the response to carcinogen-induced DNA damage. Control and p53-RNAi-expressing fibroblasts displayed phosphorylation of Ser345 on CHK1 45-120 min after carcinogen treatment with a return to near baseline phosphorylation by 6 h after treatment. HPV16E6-expressing fibroblasts displayed enhanced and sustained phosphorylation of CHK1. This was associated with enhanced phosphorylation of Thr68 on CHK2 and Ser139 on H2AX, both markers of severe replication stress and DNA double strand breaks. Incubation with the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid produced more phosphorylation of CHK1 in UV-treated HPV16E6-expressing cells than in p53-H179Q-expressing cells suggesting that HPV16E6 may interfere with the recovery of coupled DNA replication at replication forks that are stalled at [6-4]pyrimidine-pyrimidone photoproducts and BPDE-DNA adducts. The results indicate that HPV16E6 targets a protein or proteins other than p53 to deregulate the activity of CHK1 in carcinogen-damaged cells.

Revised genetic requirements for the decatenation G2 checkpoint: The role of ATM

The decatenation G2 checkpoint is proposed to delay cellular progression from G2 into mitosis when intertwined daughter chromatids are insufficiently decatenated. Previous studies indicated that the ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR) checkpoint kinase, but not the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase, was required for decatenation G2 checkpoint function. Here, we show that the method used to quantify decatenation G2 checkpoint function can influence the identification of genetic requirements for the checkpoint. Normal human diploid fibroblast (NHDF) lines responded to the topoisomerase II (topo II) catalytic inhibitor ICRF-193 with a stringent G2 arrest and a reduction in the mitotic index. While siRNA-mediated depletion of ATR and CHEK1 increased the mitotic index in ICRF-193 treated NHDF lines, depletion of these proteins did not affect the mitotic entry rate, indicating that the decatenation G2 checkpoint was functional. These results suggest that ATR and CHEK1 are not required for the decatenation G2 checkpoint, but may influence mitotic exit after inhibition of topo II. A re-evaluation of ataxia telangiectasia (AT) cell lines using the mitotic entry assay indicated that ATM was required for the decatenation G2 checkpoint. Three NHDF cell lines responded to ICRF-193 with a mean 98% inhibition of the mitotic entry rate. Examination of the mitotic entry rates in AT fibroblasts upon treatment with ICRF-193 revealed a significantly attenuated decatenation G2 checkpoint response, with a mean 59% inhibition of the mitotic entry rate. In addition, a normal lymphoblastoid line exhibited a 95% inhibition of the mitotic entry rate after incubation with ICRF-193, whereas two AT lymphoblastoid lines displayed only 36% and 20% inhibition of the mitotic entry rate. Stable depletion of ATM in normal human fibroblasts with short hairpin RNA also attenuated decatenation G2 checkpoint function by an average of 40%. Western immunoblot analysis demonstrated that treatment with ICRF-193 induced ATM autophosphorylation and ATM-dependent phosphorylation of Ser15-p53 and Thr68 in Chk2, but no appreciable phosphorylation of Ser139-H2AX or Ser345-Chk1. The results suggest that inhibition of topo II induces ATM to phosphorylate selected targets that contribute to a G2 arrest independently of DNA damage.

A prognostic signature of defective p53-dependent G1 checkpoint function in melanoma cell lines

Melanoma cell lines and normal human melanocytes (NHM) were assayed for p53‐dependent G1 checkpoint response to ionizing radiation (IR)‐induced DNA damage. Sixty‐six percent of melanoma cell lines displayed a defective G1 checkpoint. Checkpoint function was correlated with sensitivity to IR with checkpoint‐defective lines being radio‐resistant. Microarray analysis identified 316 probes whose expression was correlated with G1 checkpoint function in melanoma lines (P ≤ 0.007) including p53 transactivation targets CDKN1A, DDB2, and RRM2B. The 316 probe list predicted G1 checkpoint function of the melanoma lines with 86% accuracy using a binary analysis and 91% accuracy using a continuous analysis. When applied to microarray data from primary melanomas, the 316 probe list was prognostic of 4‐yr distant metastasis‐free survival. Thus, p53 function, radio‐sensitivity, and metastatic spread may be estimated in melanomas from a signature of gene expression.