Altered poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism impairs cellular responses to genotoxic stress in a hypomorphic mutant of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase

Genotoxic stress activates nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) metabolism leading to PAR synthesis catalyzed by DNA damage activated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) and rapid PAR turnover by action of nuclear poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). The involvement of PARP-1 and PARP-2 in responses to DNA damage has been well studied but the involvement of nuclear PARG is less well understood. To gain insights into the function of nuclear PARG in DNA damage responses, we have quantitatively studied PAR metabolism in cells derived from a hypomorphic mutant mouse model in which exons 2 and 3 of the PARG gene have been deleted (PARG-Delta2,3 cells), resulting in a nuclear PARG containing a catalytic domain but lacking the N-terminal region (A domain) of the protein. Following DNA damage induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), we found that the activity of both PARG and PARPs in intact cells is increased in PARG-Delta2,3 cells. The increased PARG activity leads to decreased PARP-1 automodification with resulting increased PARP activity. The degree of PARG activation is greater than PARP, resulting in decreased PAR accumulation. Following MNNG treatment, PARG-Delta2,3 cells show reduced formation of XRCC1 foci, delayed H2AX phosphorylation, decreased DNA break intermediates during repair, and increased cell death. Our results show that a precise coordination of PARPs and PARG activities is important for normal cellular responses to DNA damage and that this coordination is defective in the absence of the PARG A domain.     

Herpes simplex virus 1 infection activates poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and triggers the degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase

Herpes simplex virus 1 infection triggers multiple changes in the metabolism of host cells, including a dramatic decrease in the levels of NAD(+). In addition to its role as a cofactor in reduction-oxidation reactions, NAD(+) is required for certain posttranslational modifications. Members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family of enzymes are major consumers of NAD(+), which they utilize to form poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) chains on protein substrates in response to DNA damage. PAR chains can subsequently be removed by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). We report here that the HSV-1 infection-induced drop in NAD(+) levels required viral DNA replication, was associated with an increase in protein poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation), and was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of PARP-1/PARP-2 (PARP-1/2). Neither virus yield nor the cellular metabolic reprogramming observed during HSV-1 infection was altered by the rescue or further depletion of NAD(+) levels. Expression of the viral protein ICP0, which possesses E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, was both necessary and sufficient for the degradation of the 111-kDa PARG isoform. This work demonstrates that HSV-1 infection results in changes to NAD(+) metabolism by PARP-1/2 and PARG, and as PAR chain accumulation can induce caspase-independent apoptosis, we speculate that the decrease in PARG levels enhances the auto-PARylation-mediated inhibition of PARP, thereby avoiding premature death of the infected cell.     

PARG is recruited to DNA damage sites through poly(ADP-ribose)- and PCNA-dependent mechanisms

Post-translational poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation has diverse essential functions in the cellular response to DNA damage as it contributes to avid DNA damage detection and assembly of the cellular repair machinery but extensive modification eventually also induces cell death. While there are 17 human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) genes, there is only one poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) gene encoding several PARG isoforms located in different subcellular compartments. To investigate the recruitment of PARG isoforms to DNA repair sites we locally introduced DNA damage by laser microirradiation. All PARG isoforms were recruited to DNA damage sites except for a mitochondrial localized PARG fragment. Using PARP knock out cells and PARP inhibitors, we showed that PARG recruitment was only partially dependent on PARP-1 and PAR synthesis, indicating a second, PAR-independent recruitment mechanism. We found that PARG interacts with PCNA, mapped a PCNA binding site and showed that binding to PCNA contributes to PARG recruitment to DNA damage sites. This dual recruitment mode of the only nuclear PARG via the versatile loading platform PCNA and by a PAR dependent mechanism likely contributes to the dynamic regulation of this posttranslational modification and ensures the tight control of the switch between efficient DNA repair and cell death.     

Dynamic relocation of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase isoforms during radiation-induced DNA damage

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a very early cellular response to DNA damage. Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) accumulation is transient since PAR is rapidly hydrolyzed by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). PARG may play a prominent role in DNA damage response and repair by removing PAR from modified proteins including PARP-1. Using living cells, we provide evidence that in response to DNA damage induced by gamma-irradiation the cytoplasmic 103 kDa PARG isoform translocates into the nucleus. We further observed that the nuclear GFP-hPARG110 enzyme relocalizes to the cytoplasm in response to DNA damage. Using different GFP-PARG fusion proteins specific for the nuclear and cytoplasmic forms, we demonstrate their dynamic distribution between cytoplasm and nucleoplasm and a high mobility of major PARG isoforms by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). The dynamic relocation of all PARG isoforms presented in this report reveals a novel biological mechanism by which PARG could be involved in DNA damage response.     

Tannins elevate the level of poly(ADP-ribose) in HeLa cell extracts

Phenolic phytochemicals such as tannins, which are natural constituents of green tea, red wine, and other plant products, are considered to have cancer-preventive properties. An important endogenous mediator of tumorigenesis is the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). PARP-1 synthesizes polymers of ADP-ribose (PAR), which, in turn, are degraded by the catabolic enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). In the present study, we investigated the effects of tannins on the level of PAR in HeLa nuclear extracts. The addition of tannins to nuclear extracts led to a 40-fold elevation of PAR-levels. The observed increased PAR-levels resulted from inhibition of the catalytic activity of PARG. Additionally, the human PARG cDNA was cloned and the recombinant enzyme was overexpressed and isolated. Recombinant PARG was immobilized using an affinity column composed of tannins covalently linked to Sepharose beads. Finally, an interaction between immobilized PARG and endogenous PARP-1 from HeLa cell extracts is demonstrated.     

MNNG-induced cell death is controlled by interactions between PARP-1, poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, and XRCC1

PARP-1 (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases) modifies proteins with poly(ADP-ribose), which is an important signal for genomic stability. ADP-ribose polymers also mediate cell death and are degraded by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). Here we show that the catalytic domain of PARG interacts with the automodification domain of PARP-1. Furthermore, PARG can directly down-regulate PARP-1 activity. PARG also interacts with XRCC1, a DNA repair factor that is recruited by DNA damage-activated PARP-1. We investigated the role of XRCC1 in cell death after treatment with supralethal doses of the alkylating agent MNNG. Only in XRCC1-proficient cells MNNG induced a considerable accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose). Similarly, extracts of XRCC1-deficient cells produced large ADP-ribose polymers if supplemented with XRCC1. Consequently, MNNG triggered in XRCC1-proficient cells the translocation of the apoptosis inducing factor from mitochondria to the nucleus followed by caspase-independent cell death. In XRCC1-deficient cells, the same MNNG treatment caused non-apoptotic cell death without accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose). Thus, XRCC1 seems to be involved in regulating a poly(ADP-ribose)-mediated apoptotic cell death.     

Specific killing of DNA damage-response deficient cells with inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase

Poly(ADP-ribosylation) of proteins following DNA damage is well studied and the use of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors as therapeutic agents is an exciting prospect for the treatment of many cancers. Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) has endo- and exoglycosidase activities which can cleave glycosidic bonds, rapidly reversing the action of PARP enzymes. Like addition of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) by PARP, removal of PAR by PARG is also thought to be required for repair of DNA strand breaks and for continued replication at perturbed forks. Here we use siRNA to show a synthetic lethal relationship between PARG and BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, FAM175A (ABRAXAS) and BARD1. In addition, we demonstrate that MCF7 cells depleted of these proteins are sensitive to Gallotannin and a novel and specific PARG inhibitor PDD00017273. We confirm that PARG inhibition increases endogenous DNA damage, stalls replication forks and increases homologous recombination, and propose that it is the lack of homologous recombination (HR) proteins at PARG inhibitor-induced stalled replication forks that induces cell death. Interestingly not all genes that are synthetically lethal with PARP result in sensitivity to PARG inhibitors, suggesting that although there is overlap, the functions of PARP and PARG may not be completely identical. These data together add further evidence to the possibility that single treatment therapy with PARG inhibitors could be used for treatment of certain HR deficient tumours and provide insight into the relationship between PARP, PARG and the processes of DNA repair.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 cleavage during apoptosis: an update

Poly(ADP-ribosylation) is a post-translational modification of proteins playing a crucial role in many processes, including DNA repair and cell death. The best known poly(ADP-ribosylating) enzime, PARP-1, is a DNA nick sensor and uses NAD⁺ to form polymers of ADP-ribose which are further bound to nuclear protein acceptors. To strictly regulate poly(ADP-ribose) turnover, its degradation is assured by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). During apoptosis, PARP-1 plays two opposite roles: its stimulation leads to poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, whereas caspases cause PARP-1 cleavage and inactivation. PARP-1 proteolysis produces an 89 kDa C-terminal fragment, with a reduced catalytic activity, and a 24 kDa N-terminal peptide, which retains the DNA binding domains. The fate and the possible role of these fragments during apoptosis will be discussed.     

Caspase-3-mediated processing of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase during apoptosis

Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) is responsible for the catabolism of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesized by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) and other PARP-1-like enzymes. In this work, we report that PARG is cleaved during etoposide-, staurosporine-, and Fas-induced apoptosis in human cells. This cleavage is concomitant with PARP-1 processing and generates two C-terminal fragments of 85 and 74 kDa. In vitro cleavage assays using apoptotic cell extracts showed that a protease of the caspase family is responsible for PARG processing. A complete inhibition of this cleavage was achieved at nanomolar concentrations of the caspase inhibitor acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-aldehyde, suggesting the involvement of caspase-3-like proteases. Consistently, recombinant caspase-3 efficiently cleaved PARG in vitro, suggesting the involvement of this protease in PARG processing in vivo. Furthermore, caspase-3-deficient MCF-7 cells did not show any PARG cleavage in response to staurosporine treatment. The cleavage sites identified by site-directed mutagenesis are DEID(256) downward arrow V and the unconventional site MDVD(307) downward arrow N. Kinetic studies have shown similar maximal velocity (V(max)) and affinity (K(m)) for both full-length PARG and its apoptotic fragments, suggesting that caspase-3 may affect PARG function without altering its enzymatic activity. The early cleavage of both PARP-1 and PARG by caspases during apoptosis suggests an important function for poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism regulation during this cell death process.     

Activation of cell death mediated by apoptosis-inducing factor due to the absence of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase

We previously demonstrated that the absence of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) led to increased cell death following DNA-damaging treatments. Here, we investigated cell death pathways following UV treatment. Decreased amounts of PARG-null embryonic trophoblast stem (TS) cells were observed following doses of 10-100 J/m2 as compared to wild-type cells. In wild-type cells, caspase-cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and activated caspase-3 were detected 12-24 h after UV treatment. Surprisingly, both were detected at decreased levels only after 24 h in PARG-null TS cells, indicating a decreased level and delayed presence of caspase-mediated events. Further, a time- and dose-dependent accumulation of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) levels after UV was observed in PARG-null TS cells and not in wild-type cells. Determination of the levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), the substrate for PAR synthesis and a coenzyme in cellular redox reactions, demonstrated a UV dose-dependent decrease in the level of NAD+ in wild-type cells, while NAD+ levels in PARG-null TS cells remained at higher levels. This indicates no depletion of NAD+ in PARG-null TS cells following increased levels of PAR. Lastly, cell death mediated by apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) was analyzed because of its dependence on increased PAR levels. The results demonstrate nuclear AIF translocation only in PARG-null TS cells, which demonstrates the presence of AIF-mediated cell death. Herein, we provide compelling evidence that the absence of PARG leads to decreased caspase-3 activity and the specific activation of AIF-mediated cell death. Therefore, the absence of PARG may provide a strategy for specifically inducing an alternative apoptotic pathway.     

Alteration of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase nucleocytoplasmic shuttling characteristics upon cleavage by apoptotic proteases

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is an important post-translational modification which mostly affects nuclear proteins. The major roles of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis are assigned to DNA damage signalling during base excision repair, apoptosis and excitotoxicity. The transient nature and modulation of poly(ADP-ribose) levels depend mainly on the activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG), the key catabolic enzyme of poly(ADP-ribose). Given the fact that PARG substrate, poly(ADP-ribose), is found almost exclusively in the nucleus and that PARG is mainly localized in the cytoplasm, we wanted to have a closer look at PARG subcellular localization in order to better understand the mechanism by which PARG regulates intracellular poly(ADP-ribose) levels. We examined the subcellular distribution of PARG and of its two enzymatically active C-terminal apoptotic fragments both biochemically and by fluorescence microscopy. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins were constructed for PARG (GFP-PARG), its 74 kDa (GFP-74) and 85 kDa (GFP-85) apoptotic fragments and transiently expressed in COS-7 cells. Localization experiments reveal that all three fusion proteins localize predominantly to the cytoplasm and that a fraction also co-localizes with the Golgi marker FTCD. Moreover, leptomycin B, a drug that specifically inhibits nuclear export signal (NES)-dependent nuclear export, induces a redistribution of GFP-PARG from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and this nuclear accumulation is even more pronounced for the GFP-74 and GFP-85 apoptotic fragments. This observation confirms our hypothesis for the presence of important regions in the PARG sequence that would allow the protein to engage in CRM1-dependent nuclear export. Moreover, the altered nuclear import kinetics found for the apoptotic fragments highlights the importance of PARG N-terminal sequence in modulating PARG nucleocytoplasmic trafficking properties.     

UV irradiation inhibits ABC transporters via generation of ADP-ribose by concerted action of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and glycohydrolase

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are involved in the transport of multiple substrates across cellular membranes, including metabolites, proteins, and drugs. Employing a functional fluorochrome export assay, we found that UVB irradiation strongly inhibits the activity of ABC transporters. Specific inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) restored the function of ABC transporters in UVB-irradiated cells, and PARP-1-deficient cells did not undergo UVB-induced membrane transport inhibition. These data suggest that PARP-1 activation is necessary for ABC transporter functional downregulation. The hydrolysis of poly(ADP-ribose) by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) was also required, since specific PARG inhibitors, which limit the production of ADP-ribose molecules, restored the function of ABC transporters. Furthermore, ADP-ribose molecules potently inhibited the activity of the ABC transporter P-glycoprotein. Hence, poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism appears to play a novel role in the regulation of ABC transporters.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) degradation by post-nuclear extracts from human cells

The nuclear metabolism of poly(ADP-ribose) is mainly regulated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). A PARP-like enzyme, V-PARP, and a PARG isoform are present in the extra-nuclear compartment of mammalian cells, even if poly(ADP-ribose) has never been detected therein. In this work, we demonstrate the ability of post-nuclear extracts from HeLa and HL60 cells to degrade synthetic 32P-polymers of ADP-ribose to ADP-ribose and, further, to AMP. This reaction implies the combined action of PARG and of an ADP-ribose-degrading activity, possibly corresponding to a phosphodiesterase and/or to an ADP-ribose pyrophosphatase. The inhibition of PARG or ADP-ribose-degrading enzymes allowed the demonstration that in vitro synthesized 32P-poly(ADP-ribose) is first digested to ADP-ribose monomers by a typical PARG reaction, and that ADP-ribose is further rapidly converted into AMP by an Mg(2+)-dependent activity. Collectively, our results demonstrate the ability of the human cell post-nuclear fraction to convert synthetic poly(ADP-ribose) into utilizable AMP units by the concerted action of PARG and ADP-ribose-degrading activities.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) protects vascular smooth muscle cells from oxidative DNA damage

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) undergo death during atherosclerosis, a widespread cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest that oxidative damage occurs in VSMCs and induces atherosclerosis. Here, we analyzed oxidative damage repair in VSMCs and found that VSMCs are hypersensitive to oxidative damage. Further analysis showed that oxidative damage repair in VSMCs is suppressed by a low level of poly (ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation), a key post-translational modification in oxidative damage repair. The low level of PARylation is not caused by the lack of PARP-1, the major poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activated by oxidative damage. Instead, the expression of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, PARG, the enzyme hydrolyzing poly(ADP-ribose), is significantly higher in VSMCs than that in the control cells. Using PARG inhibitor to suppress PARG activity facilitates oxidative damage-induced PARylation as well as DNA damage repair. Thus, our study demonstrates a novel molecular mechanism for oxidative damage-induced VSMCs death. This study also identifies the use of PARG inhibitors as a potential treatment for atherosclerosis. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(6): 354-359]     

Poly(ADP-ribose): PARadigms and PARadoxes

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a posttranslational protein modification (PTM) catalyzed by members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzyme family. PARPs use NAD⁺ as substrate and upon cleaving off nicotinamide they transfer the ADP-ribosyl moiety covalently to suitable acceptor proteins and elongate the chain by adding further ADP-ribose units to create a branched polymer, termed poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR), which is rapidly degraded by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and ADP-ribosylhydrolase 3 (ARH3). In recent years several key discoveries changed the way we look at the biological roles and mode of operation of PARylation. These paradigm shifts include but are not limited to (1) a single PARP enzyme expanding to a PARP family; (2) DNA-break dependent activation extended to several other DNA dependent and independent PARP-activation mechanisms; (3) one molecular mechanism (covalent PARylation of target proteins) underlying the biological effect of PARPs is now complemented by several other mechanisms such as protein–protein interactions, PAR signaling, modulation of NAD⁺ pools and (4) one principal biological role in DNA damage sensing expanded to numerous, diverse biological functions identifying PARP-1 as a real moonlighting protein. Here we review the most important paradigm shifts in PARylation research and also highlight some of the many controversial issues (or paradoxes) of the field such as (1) the mostly synergistic and not antagonistic biological effects of PARP-1 and PARG; (2) mitochondrial PARylation and PAR decomposition, (3) the cross-talk between PARylation and signaling pathways (protein kinases, phosphatases, calcium) and the (4) divergent roles of PARP/PARylation in longevity and in age-related diseases.