Nanosecond pulsed electric fields induce poly(ADP-ribose) formation and non-apoptotic cell death in HeLa S3 cells

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) have recently gained attention as effective cancer therapy owing to their potency for cell death induction. Previous studies have shown that apoptosis is a predominant mode of nsPEF-induced cell death in several cell lines, such as Jurkat cells. In this study, we analyzed molecular mechanisms for cell death induced by nsPEFs. When nsPEFs were applied to Jurkat cells, apoptosis was readily induced. Next, we used HeLa S3 cells and analyzed apoptotic events. Contrary to our expectation, nsPEF-exposed HeLa S3 cells exhibited no molecular signs of apoptosis execution. Instead, nsPEFs induced the formation of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR), a hallmark of necrosis. PAR formation occurred concurrently with a decrease in cell viability, supporting implications of nsPEF-induced PAR formation for cell death. Necrotic PAR formation is known to be catalyzed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), and PARP-1 in apoptotic cells is inactivated by caspase-mediated proteolysis. Consistently, we observed intact and cleaved forms of PARP-1 in nsPEF-exposed and UV-irradiated cells, respectively. Taken together, nsPEFs induce two distinct modes of cell death in a cell type-specific manner, and HeLa S3 cells show PAR-associated non-apoptotic cell death in response to nsPEFs.     

The 40 kDa carboxy-terminal domain of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 forms catalytically competent homo- and heterodimers in the absence of DNA

The 40 kDa carboxy-terminal catalytic domain (CD) of avian poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) was cloned, expressed in a baculovirus expression system, and purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography. The purified polypeptide synthesized covalent CD-poly(ADP-ribose) conjugates in the absence of DNA. Electrophoretic analysis of the ADP-ribose chain length distribution generated indicated that recombinant CD was able to catalyze the initiation, elongation, and branching reactions of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, although at a 500-fold lower efficiency than wild-type PARP-1. Kinetic evaluation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis showed that the enzymatic activities of CD increased for up to 60 minutes in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, the rates of CD auto-poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation increased with second-order kinetics as a function of the protein concentration with either betaNAD(+) or 3'-deoxyNAD(+) as a substrate. Furthermore, the formation of catalytically competent CD-[PARP-1] heterodimers was also observed in specific ultrafiltration experiments. Thus, we conclude that the 40 kDa carboxy terminus of PARP-1 forms a competent catalytic dimer in the absence of DNA, and that its automodification reaction is intermolecular.     

HMGN1 Protein Regulates Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1) Self-PARylation in Mouse Fibroblasts

In mammalian cells, the nucleosome-binding protein HMGN1 (high mobility group N1) affects the structure and function of chromatin and plays a role in repair of damaged DNA. HMGN1 affects the interaction of DNA repair factors with chromatin and their access to damaged DNA; however, not all of the repair factors affected have been identified. Here, we report that HMGN1 affects the self-poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (i.e., PARylation) of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), a multifunctional and abundant nuclear enzyme known to recognize DNA lesions and promote chromatin remodeling, DNA repair, and other nucleic acid transactions. The catalytic activity of PARP-1 is activated by DNA with a strand break, and this results in self-PARylation and PARylation of other chromatin proteins. Using cells obtained from Hmgn1(-/-) and Hmgn1(+/+) littermate mice, we find that in untreated cells, loss of HMGN1 protein reduces PARP-1 self-PARylation. A similar result was obtained after MMS treatment of these cells. In imaging experiments after low energy laser-induced DNA damage, less PARylation at lesion sites was observed in Hmgn1(-/-) than in Hmgn1(+/+) cells. The HMGN1 regulation of PARP-1 activity could be mediated by direct protein-protein interaction as HMGN1 and PARP-1 were found to interact in binding assays. Purified HMGN1 was able to stimulate self-PARylation of purified PARP-1, and in experiments with cell extracts, self-PARylation was greater in Hmgn1(+/+) than in Hmgn1(-/-) extract. The results suggest a regulatory role for HMGN1 in PARP-1 activation.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1: A Regulator of Protein–Nucleic Acid Interactions in Processes Responding to Genotoxic Impact

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), a nuclear protein of higher eukaryotes, specifically detects strand breaks in DNA. The enzyme is activated in the presence of such breaks and synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) covalently bound to certain proteins, with PARP-1 itself being the main acceptor. This protein is involved in the majority of DNA-dependent processes, including replication, recombination, repair, and cell death (apoptosis and necrosis). Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of proteins is regarded as a mechanism which induces a signal of DNA damage and modulates the function of proteins in response to genotoxic actions. Attention in this review is focused on the role of PARP-1 and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in base excision repair (BER), the main process of DNA break repair. The main putative functions of PARP-1 in this process are also considered, namely, its functions as a factor initiating the BER protein complex, a temporary protector of DNA ends, a factor modulating chromatin structure through poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of histones, and a signal in the mechanism recognizing the degree of DNA damage in the cell.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Cleavage during Apoptosis: When and Where?

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) plays the active role of “nick sensor” during DNA repair and apoptosis, when it synthesizes ADP-ribose from NAD⁺ in the presence of DNA strand breaks. Moreover, PARP-1 becomes a target of apoptotic caspases, which originate two proteolytic fragments of 89 and 24 kDa. The precise relationship between PARP-1 activation and degradation during apoptosis is still a matter of debate. In human Hep-2 cells driven to apoptosis by actinomycin D, we have monitored PARP-1 activity by the mAb 10H, which is specific for the ADP-ribose polymers, and we have observed that poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis is a very early response to the apoptotic stimulus. The analysis of the presence and fate of the p89 proteolytic fragment revealed that PARP-1 proteolysis by caspases is concomitant with poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis and that p89 migrates from the nucleus into the cytoplasm in late apoptotic cells with advanced nuclear fragmentation.     

Misregulation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 activity and cell type-specific loss of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis in the cerebellum of aged rats

Protein modification by ADP-ribose polymers is a common regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic cells and is involved in several aspects of brain physiology and physiopathology, including neurotransmission, memory formation, neurotoxicity, ageing and age-associated diseases. Here we show age-related misregulation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis in rat cerebellum as revealed by: (i) reduced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) activation in response to enzymatic DNA cleavage, (ii) altered protein poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation profiles in isolated nuclei, and (iii) cell type-specific loss of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation capacity in granule cell layer and Purkinje cells in vivo. In particular, although PARP-1 could be detected in virtually all granule cells, only a fraction of them appeared to be actively engaged in poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis and this fraction was reduced in old rat cerebellum. NAD(+), quantified in tissue homogenates, was essentially the same in the cerebellum of young and old rats suggesting that in vivo factors other than PARP-1 content and/or NAD(+) levels may be responsible for the age-associated lowering of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis. Moreover, PARP-1 expression was substantially down-regulated in Purkinje cells of senescent rats.     

Discovery of quinazolinone and quinoxaline derivatives as potent and selective poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1/2 inhibitors

Two classes of quinazolinone derivatives and quinoxaline derivatives were identified as potent and selective poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and 2 (PARP-1) and (PARP-2) inhibitors, respectively. In PARP enzyme assays using recombinant PARP-1 and PARP-2, quinazolinone derivatives displayed relatively high selectivity for PARP-1 and quinoxaline derivatives showed superior selectivity for PARP-2. SBDD analysis via a combination of X-ray structural study and homology modeling suggested distinct interactions of inhibitors with PARP-1 and PARP-2. These findings provide a new structural framework for the design of selective inhibitors for PARP-1 and PARP-2.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) Contributes to an Association between Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 and Xeroderma Pigmentosum Complementation Group A in Nucleotide Excision Repair

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) promotes the formation of UVR-induced, DNA helix distorting photolesions such as (6-4) pyrimidine-pyrimidone photoproducts and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. Effective repair of such lesions by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway is required to prevent DNA mutations and chromosome aberrations. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a zinc finger protein with well documented involvement in base excision repair. PARP-1 is activated in response to DNA damage and catalyzes the formation of poly(ADP-ribose) subunits that assist in the assembly of DNA repair proteins at sites of damage. In this study, we present evidence for PARP-1 contributions to NER, extending the knowledge of PARP-1 function in DNA repair beyond the established role in base excision repair. Silencing the PARP-1 protein or inhibiting PARP activity leads to retention of UVR-induced photolesions. PARP activation following UVR exposure promotes association between PARP-1 and XPA, a central protein in NER. Administration of PARP inhibitors confirms that poly(ADP-ribose) facilitates PARP-1 association with XPA in whole cell extracts, in isolated chromatin complexes, and in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition of PARP activity decreases UVR-stimulated XPA chromatin association, illustrating that these relationships occur in a meaningful context for NER. These results provide a mechanistic link for PARP activity in the repair of UVR-induced photoproducts.     

Protein kinase C protects from DNA damage-induced necrotic cell death by inhibiting poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1

The goal of the current study, conducted in freshly isolated thymocytes was (1) to investigate the possibility that the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in an intact cell can be regulated by protein kinase C (PKC) mediated phosphorylation and (2) to examine the consequence of this regulatory mechanism in the context of cell death induced by the genotoxic agent. In cells stimulated by the PKC activating phorbol esters, DNA breakage was unaffected, PARP-1 was phosphorylated, 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine-induced PARP activation and cell necrosis were suppressed, with all these effects attenuated by the PKC inhibitors GF109203X or G?6976. Inhibition of cellular PARP activity by PKC-mediated phosphorylation may provide a plausible mechanism for the previously observed cytoprotective effects of PKC activators.     

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 Contributes to TPEN-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis

Depletion of intracellular zinc by N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) induces p53-mediated protein synthesis-dependent apoptosis of mouse cortical neurons. Here, we examined the requirement for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 as an upstream regulator of p53 in zinc depletion-induced neuronal apoptosis. First, we found that chemical inhibition or genetic deletion of PARP-1 markedly attenuated TPEN-induced apoptosis of cultured mouse cortical neurons. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 occurred starting 1 h after TPEN treatment. Suggesting the critical role of PARP-1, the TPEN-induced increase of stability and activity of p53 as well as poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 was almost completely blocked by PARP inhibition. Consistent with this, the induction of downstream proapoptotic proteins PUMA and NOXA was noticeably reduced by chemical inhibitors or genetic deletion of PARP-1. TPEN-induced cytochrome C release into the cytosol and caspase-3 activation were also blocked by inhibition of PARP-1. Taken together, these findings indicate that PARP-1 is essential for TPEN-induced neuronal apoptosis.     

Deleterious Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose)Polymerase-1 in Brain after In Vivo Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress has been shown to be implicated in the pathogenesis of central nervous system injuries such as cerebral ischemia and trauma, and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. In vitro studies show that oxidative stress, particularly peroxynitrite, could trigger DNA strand breaks, which lead to the activation of repairing enzymes including Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1). As excessive activation of this enzyme induces cell death, we examined whether such a cascade also occurs in vivo in a model of oxidative stress in rat brain. For this purpose, the mitochondrial toxin malonate, which promotes free radical production, was infused into the left striatum of rats. Immunohistochemistry showed that 3-nitrotyrosine, an indicator of nitrosative stress, and poly(ADP-ribose), a marker of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 activation, were present as early as 1 h after malonate, and that they persisted for 24 h. The PARP inhibitor, 3-aminobenzamide, significantly reduced the lesion and inhibited PARP-1 activation induced by malonate. These results demonstrate that oxidative stress induced in vivo in the central nervous system leads to the activation of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1, which contributes to neuronal cell death.     

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.