ATM-dependent phosphorylation of MRE11 controls extent of resection during homology directed repair by signalling through Exonuclease 1

The MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 (MRN) complex plays a central role as a sensor of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) and is responsible for the efficient activation of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase. Once activated ATM in turn phosphorylates RAD50 and NBS1, important for cell cycle control, DNA repair and cell survival. We report here that MRE11 is also phosphorylated by ATM at S676 and S678 in response to agents that induce DNA DSB, is dependent on the presence of NBS1, and does not affect the association of members of the complex or ATM activation. A phosphosite mutant (MRE11S676AS678A) cell line showed decreased cell survival and increased chromosomal aberrations after radiation exposure indicating a defect in DNA repair. Use of GFP-based DNA repair reporter substrates in MRE11S676AS678A cells revealed a defect in homology directed repair (HDR) but single strand annealing was not affected. More detailed investigation revealed that MRE11S676AS678A cells resected DNA ends to a greater extent at sites undergoing HDR. Furthermore, while ATM-dependent phosphorylation of Kap1 and SMC1 was normal in MRE11S676AS678A cells, there was no phosphorylation of Exonuclease 1 consistent with the defect in HDR. These results describe a novel role for ATM-dependent phosphorylation of MRE11 in limiting the extent of resection mediated through Exonuclease 1.     

DNA repair defect in AT cells and their hypersensitivity to low-dose-rate radiation

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) and normal cells immortalized with the human telomerase gene were irradiated in non-proliferative conditions with high- (2 Gy/min) or low-dose-rate (0.3 mGy/min) radiation. While normal cells showed a higher resistance after irradiation at a low dose rate than a high dose rate, AT cells showed virtually the same survival after low- and high-dose-rate irradiation. Although the frequency of micronuclei induced by low-dose-rate radiation was greatly reduced in normal cells, it was not reduced significantly in AT cells. The number of gamma-H2AX foci increased in proportion to the dose in both AT and normal cells after high-dose-rate irradiation. Although few gamma-H2AX foci were observed after low-dose-rate irradiation in normal cells, significant and dose-dependent numbers of gamma-H2AX foci were observed in AT cells even after low-dose-rate irradiation, indicating that DNA damage was not completely repaired during low-dose-rate irradiation. Significant phosphorylation of ATM proteins was detected in normal cells after low-dose-rate irradiation, suggesting that the activation of ATM plays an important role in the repair of DNA damage during low-dose-rate irradiation. In conclusion, AT cells may not be able to repair some fraction of DNA damage and are severely affected by low-dose-rate radiation.     

The Adenovirus E4orf4 Protein Provides a Novel Mechanism for Inhibition of the DNA Damage Response

The DNA damage response (DDR) is a conglomerate of pathways designed to detect DNA damage and signal its presence to cell cycle checkpoints and to the repair machinery, allowing the cell to pause and mend the damage, or if the damage is too severe, to trigger apoptosis or senescence. Various DDR branches are regulated by kinases of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-like protein kinase family, including ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR). Replication intermediates and linear double-stranded genomes of DNA viruses are perceived by the cell as DNA damage and activate the DDR. If allowed to operate, the DDR will stimulate ligation of viral genomes and will inhibit virus replication. To prevent this outcome, many DNA viruses evolved ways to limit the DDR. As part of its attack on the DDR, adenovirus utilizes various viral proteins to cause degradation of DDR proteins and to sequester the MRN damage sensor outside virus replication centers. Here we show that adenovirus evolved yet another novel mechanism to inhibit the DDR. The E4orf4 protein, together with its cellular partner PP2A, reduces phosphorylation of ATM and ATR substrates in virus-infected cells and in cells treated with DNA damaging drugs, and causes accumulation of damaged DNA in the drug-treated cells. ATM and ATR are not mutually required for inhibition of their signaling pathways by E4orf4. ATM and ATR deficiency as well as E4orf4 expression enhance infection efficiency. Furthermore, E4orf4, previously reported to induce cancer-specific cell death when expressed alone, sensitizes cells to killing by sub-lethal concentrations of DNA damaging drugs, likely because it inhibits DNA damage repair. These findings provide one explanation for the cancer-specificity of E4orf4-induced cell death as many cancers have DDR deficiencies leading to increased reliance on the remaining intact DDR pathways and to enhanced susceptibility to DDR inhibitors such as E4orf4. Thus DDR inhibition by E4orf4 contributes both to the efficiency of adenovirus replication and to the ability of E4orf4 to kill cancer cells.     

Cell cycle alteration, apoptosis and response of leukemic cell lines to gamma radiation with high- and low-dose rate

The aim of this work was to compare the effect of gamma radiation with sub-low dose-rate 1.8 mGy/min (SLDR), low dose-rate 3.9 mGy/min (LDR) and high dose-rate 0.6 Gy/min (HDR) on human leukemic cell lines with differing p53 status (HL-60, p53 deficient and MOLT-4, p53 wild) and to elucidate the importance of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest during irradiation. Radiosensitivity of HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells was determined by test of clonogenity. Decrease of dose-rate had no effect on radiosensitivity of MOLT-4 cells (D(0) for HDR 0.87 Gy, for LDR 0.78 Gy and for SLDR 0.70 Gy). In contrast, a significant increase of radioresistance after LDR irradiation was observed for p53 negative HL-60 cells (D(0) for HDR 2.20 Gy and for LDR 3.74 Gy). After an additional decrease of dose-rate (SLDR) D(0) value (2.92 Gy) was not significantly different from HDR irradiation. Considering the fact that during HDR the cells are irradiated in all phases of the cell cycle and during LDR mainly in the G2 phase, we have been unable to prove that the G2 phase is the most radiosensitive phase of the cell cycle of HL-60 cells. On the contrary, irradiation of cells in this phase induced damage reparation and increased radioresistance. When the dose-rate was lowered, approximately to 1.8 mGy/min, an opposite effect was detected, i.e. D(0) value decreased to 2.9 Gy. We have proved that during SLDR at first (dose up to 2.5 Gy) the cells accumulated in G2 phase, but then they entered mitosis or, if the cell damage was not sufficiently repaired, the cells entered apoptosis. The entry into mitosis has a radiosensibilizing effect.     

Gamma irradiation with different dose rates induces different DNA damage responses in Petunia x hybrida cells

In plants, there is evidence that different dose rate exposures to gamma (γ) rays can cause different biological effects. The dynamics of DNA damage accumulation and molecular mechanisms that regulate recovery from radiation injury as a function of dose rate are poorly explored. To highlight dose-rate dependent differences in DNA damage, single cell gel electrophoresis was carried out on regenerating Petunia x hybrida leaf discs exposed to LDR (total dose 50 Gy, delivered at 0.33 Gy min⁻¹) and HDR (total doses 50 and 100 Gy, delivered at 5.15 Gy min⁻¹) γ-ray in the 0–24 h time period after treatments. Significant fluctuations of double strand breaks and different repair capacities were observed between treatments in the 0–4 h time period following irradiation. Dose-rate-dependent changes in the expression of the PhMT2 and PhAPX genes encoding a type 2 metallothionein and the cytosolic isoform of ascorbate peroxidase, respectively, were detected by Quantitative RealTime-Polymerase Chain Reaction. The PhMT2 and PhAPX genes were significantly up-regulated (3.0- and 0.7-fold) in response to HDR. The results are discussed in light of the potential practical applications of LDR-based treatments in mutation breeding.     

DNA damage responses to oxidative stress

The DNA damage response is a hierarchical process. DNA damage is detected by sensor proteins such as the MRN complex that transmit the information to transducer proteins such as ATM and ATR, which control the damage response through the phosphorylation of effector proteins. The extent of the DNA damage determines cell fate: cell cycle arrest and DNA repair or the activation of apoptotic pathways. In aerobic cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as a by-product of normal mitochondrial activity. If not properly controlled, ROS can cause severe damage to cellular macromolecules, especially the DNA. We describe here some of the cellular responses to alterations in the cellular redox state during hypoxia or oxidative stress. Oxidative damage in DNA is repaired primarily via the base excision repair (BER) pathway which appears to be the simplest of the three excision repair pathways. To allow time for DNA repair, the cells activate their cell cycle checkpoints, leading to cell cycle arrest and preventing the replication of damage and defective DNA.     

The radiomimetic enediyne C-1027 induces unusual DNA damage responses to double-strand breaks

Cells lacking the protein kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) have defective responses to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), including an inability to activate damage response proteins such as p53. However, we previously showed that cells lacking ATM robustly activate p53 in response to DNA strand breaks induced by the radiomimetic enediyne C-1027. To gain insight into the nature of C-1027-induced ATM-independent damage responses to DNA DSBs, we further examined the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular response to this unique radiomimetic agent. Like ionizing radiation (IR) and other radiomimetics, breaks induced by C-1027 efficiently activate ATM by phosphorylation at Ser1981, yet unlike other radiomimetics and IR, DNA breaks induced by C-1027 result in normal phosphorylation of p53 and the cell cycle checkpoint kinases (Chk1 and Chk2) in the absence of ATM. In the presence of ATM, but under ATM and Rad3-related kinase (ATR) deficient conditions, C-1027 treatment resulted in a decrease in the level of Chk1 phosphorylation but not in the level of p53 and Chk2 phosphorylation. Only when cells were deficient in both ATM and ATR was there a reduction in the level of phosphorylation of each of these DNA damage response proteins. This reduction was also accompanied by an increased level of cell death in comparison to that of wild-type cells or cells lacking either ATM or ATR. Our findings demonstrate a unique cellular response to C-1027-induced DNA DSBs in that DNA damage response proteins are unaffected by the absence of ATM, as long as ATR is present.     

The Ku‐dependent non‐homologous end‐joining pathway contributes to low‐dose radiation‐stimulated cell survival

Low‐dose (≤0.1 Gy) radiation‐induced adaptive responses could protect cells from high‐challenge dose radiation‐induced killing. The protective role is believed to promote the repair of DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) that are a severe threat to cell survival. However, it remains unclear which repair pathway, homologous recombination repair (HRR) or non‐homologous end‐joining (NHEJ), is promoted by low‐dose radiation. To address this question, we examined the effects of low‐dose (0.1 Gy) on high‐challenge dose (2–4 Gy) induced killing in NHEJ‐ or HRR‐deficient cell lines. We showed that 0.1 Gy reduced the high‐dose radiation‐induced killing for wild‐type or HRR‐deficient cells, but enhanced the killing for NHEJ‐deficient cells. Interestingly, low‐dose radiation also enhanced the killing for wild‐type cells exposed to high‐challenge dose radiation with high‐linear energy transfer (LET). Because it is known that high‐LET radiation induces an inefficient NHEJ, these results support that the low‐dose radiation‐stimulated protective role in reducing high‐challenge dose (low‐LET)‐induced cell killing might depend on NHEJ. In addition, we showed that low‐dose radiation activated the DNA‐PK catalytic subunit (DNA‐PKcs) and the inhibitor of DNA‐PKcs destroyed the low‐dose radiation‐induced protective role. These results suggest that low‐dose radiation might promote NHEJ through the stimulation of DNA‐PKcs activity and; therefore, increase the resistance of cells to high‐challenge dose radiation‐induced killing. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 369–374, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Radiosensitization by hypoxic pretreatment with misonidazole: an interaction of damage at the DNA level

Prolonged exposures to misonidazole (MISO) in vitro under hypoxic conditions result in radiosensitization which is characterized by a decrease in the size of the radiation survival curve shoulder for cells irradiated under hypoxic or aerobic conditions after drug removal. Although intracellular glutathione (GSH) was depleted during hypoxic exposures to MISO, this could not account for the dose-additive radiosensitization (decrease in shoulder size) since GSH depletion by diethylmaleate had no effect on the sensitivity of cells irradiated in air. The alkaline elution assay was used to measure DNA strand breaks and their repair after exposure to MISO, graded doses of X rays, and the combination of MISO pretreatment with X rays. The elution rate of DNA from irradiated cells increased linearly with X-ray dose, with and without MISO pretreatment. However, the DNA elution rates measured after MISO pretreatment were greater by a constant amount at all X-ray doses greater than 1 Gy. In terms of both cell survival and DNA elution rate, MISO-pretreated cells behaved as though they had received an extra 1.5 Gy. Although the initial damage after X rays was greater in MISO-pretreated cells, there was no effect of MISO pretreatment on the rate of repair of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks. The agreement between the differences in survival levels and DNA elution rates for irradiated control and MISO-pretreated cells and absence of an effect on DNA repair rates suggest that the pretreatment sensitization is due to an additive interaction of damage at the DNA level.     

Enhanced activity of deoxycytidine kinase after pulsed low dose rate and single dose gamma irradiation

In both pulsed low dose rate (LDR) and single high dose radiation schedules, gemcitabine pretreatment sensitizes tumor cells to radiation. These radiosensitizing effects could be the result of decreased DNA repair. In this study, the effect of irradiation on the deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) needed for DNA repair was investigated. The activity of dCK, a deoxynucleoside analogue-activating enzyme was increased upon irradiation in both schedules. No change in dCK protein expression was observed that indicates a post-translational regulation. The benefit of this increased activity induced by irradiation should be further investigated in combination with deoxynucleoside analogues activated by this enzyme.     

Enhanced Activity of Deoxycytidine Kinase After Pulsed Low Dose Rate and Single Dose Gamma Irradiation

In both pulsed low dose rate (LDR) and single high dose radiation schedules, gemcitabine pretreatment sensitizes tumor cells to radiation. These radiosensitizing effects could be the result of decreased DNA repair. In this study, the effect of irradiation on the deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) needed for DNA repair was investigated. The activity of dCK, a deoxynucleoside analogue-activating enzyme was increased upon irradiation in both schedules. No change in dCK protein expression was observed that indicates a post-translational regulation. The benefit of this increased activity induced by irradiation should be further investigated in combination with deoxynucleoside analogues activated by this enzyme.     

Low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity is not caused by a failure to recognize DNA double-strand breaks

One of the earliest cellular responses to radiation-induced DNA damage is the phosphorylation of the histone variant H2AX (gamma-H2AX). gamma-H2AX facilitates the local concentration and focus formation of numerous repair-related proteins within the vicinity of DNA DSBs. Previously, we have shown that low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS), the excessive sensitivity of mammalian cells to very low doses of ionizing radiation, is a response specific to G(2)-phase cells and is attributed to evasion of an ATM-dependent G(2)-phase cell cycle checkpoint. To further define the mechanism of low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity, we investigated the relationship between the recognition of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks as defined by gamma-H2AX staining and the incidence of HRS in three pairs of isogenic cell lines with known differences in radiosensitivity and DNA repair functionality (disparate RAS, ATM or DNA-PKcs status). Marked differences between the six cell lines in cell survival were observed after high-dose exposures (>1 Gy) reflective of the DNA repair capabilities of the individual six cell lines. In contrast, the absence of functional ATM or DNA-PK activity did not affect cell survival outcome below 0.2 Gy, supporting the concept that HRS is a measure of radiation sensitivity in the absence of fully functional repair. No relationship was evident between the initial numbers of DNA DSBs scored immediately after either low- or high-dose radiation exposure with cell survival for any of the cell lines, indicating that the prevalence of HRS is not related to recognition of DNA DSBs. However, residual DNA DSB damage as indicated by the persistence of gamma-H2AX foci 4 h after exposure was significantly correlated with cell survival after exposure to 2 Gy. This observation suggests that the persistence of gamma-H2AX foci could be adopted as a surrogate assay of cellular radiosensitivity to predict clinical radiation responsiveness.     

SV40 Utilizes ATM Kinase Activity to Prevent Non-homologous End Joining of Broken Viral DNA Replication Products

Simian virus 40 (SV40) and cellular DNA replication rely on host ATM and ATR DNA damage signaling kinases to facilitate DNA repair and elicit cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. During SV40 DNA replication, ATM kinase activity prevents concatemerization of the viral genome whereas ATR activity prevents accumulation of aberrant genomes resulting from breakage of a moving replication fork as it converges with a stalled fork. However, the repair pathways that ATM and ATR orchestrate to prevent these aberrant SV40 DNA replication products are unclear. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Southern blotting, we show that ATR kinase activity, but not DNA-PK_cs kinase activity, facilitates some aspects of double strand break (DSB) repair when ATM is inhibited during SV40 infection. To clarify which repair factors associate with viral DNA replication centers, we examined the localization of DSB repair proteins in response to SV40 infection. Under normal conditions, viral replication centers exclusively associate with homology-directed repair (HDR) and do not colocalize with non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) factors. Following ATM inhibition, but not ATR inhibition, activated DNA-PK_cs and KU70/80 accumulate at the viral replication centers while CtIP and BLM, proteins that initiate 5′ to 3′ end resection during HDR, become undetectable. Similar to what has been observed during cellular DSB repair in S phase, these data suggest that ATM kinase influences DSB repair pathway choice by preventing the recruitment of NHEJ factors to replicating viral DNA. These data may explain how ATM prevents concatemerization of the viral genome and promotes viral propagation. We suggest that inhibitors of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair could be used during infection to disrupt productive viral DNA replication.     

DNA damage response by single-strand breaks in terminally differentiated muscle cells and the control of muscle integrity

DNA single-strand breaks (SSB) formation coordinates the myogenic program, and defects in SSB repair in post-mitotic cells have been associated with human diseases. However, the DNA damage response by SSB in terminally differentiated cells has not been explored yet. Here we show that mouse post-mitotic muscle cells accumulate SSB after alkylation damage, but they are extraordinarily resistant to the killing effects of a variety of SSB-inducers. We demonstrate that, upon SSB induction, phosphorylation of H2AX occurs in myotubes and is largely ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-dependent. However, the DNA damage signaling cascade downstream of ATM is defective as shown by lack of p53 increase and phosphorylation at serine 18 (human serine 15). The stabilization of p53 by nutlin-3 was ineffective in activating the cell death pathway, indicating that the resistance to SSB inducers is due to defective p53 downstream signaling. The induction of specific types of damage is required to activate the cell death program in myotubes. Besides the topoisomerase inhibitor doxorubicin known for its cardiotoxicity, we show that the mitochondria-specific inhibitor menadione is able to activate p53 and to kill effectively myotubes. Cell killing is p53-dependent as demonstrated by full protection of myotubes lacking p53, but there is a restriction of p53-activated genes. This new information may have important therapeutic implications in the prevention of muscle cell toxicity.     

DNA lesions that signal the induction of radioresistance and DNA repair in yeast

DNA recombinational repair, and an increase in its capacity induced by DNA damage, is believed to be the major mechanism that confers resistance to killing by ionizing radiation in yeast. We have examined the nature of the DNA lesions generated by ionizing radiation that induce this mechanism, using two different end points: resistance to cell killing and ability of the error-free recombinational repair system to compete for other DNA lesions and thereby suppress chemical mutation. Under the various conditions examined in this study, the "maximum" inducible radiation resistance was increased approximately 1.5- to 3-fold and suppression of mutation about 10-fold. DNA lesions produced by low-LET gamma rays at doses greater than about 20 Gy given in oxygen were shown to be more efficient, per unit dose, at inducing radioresistance to killing than were lesions produced by neutrons (high-LET radiation). This suggests that DNA single-strand breaks are more important lesions in the induction of radioresistance than DNA double-strand breaks. Oxygen-modified lesions produced by gamma rays (low-LET radiation) were particularly efficient as induction signals. DNA damage due to hydroxyl radicals (OH.) derived from the radiolytic decomposition of H2O produced lesions that strongly induced this DNA repair mechanism. Similarly, OH. derived from aqueous electrons (e-aq) in the presence of N2O also efficiently induced the response. Cells induced to radioresistance to killing with high-LET radiation did not suppress N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-generated mutations as well as cells induced with low-LET radiation, supporting the conclusion that the type of DNA damage produced by low-LET radiation is a better inducer of recombinational repair. Surprisingly, however, cells induced with gamma radiation in the presence of N2O that became radioresistant to killing were unable to suppress MNNG mutations. This result indicates that OH. generated via e-aq (in N2O) may produce unusual DNA lesions which retard normal repair and render the system unavailable to compete for MNNG-generated lesions. We suggest that the repairability of these unique lesions is restricted by either their chemical nature or topological accessibility. Attempted repair of these lesions has lethal consequences and accounts for N2O radiosensitization of repair-competent but not incompetent cells. We conclude that induction of radioresistance in yeast by ionizing radiation responds variably to different DNA lesions, and these affect the availability of the induced recombinational repair system to deal with subsequent damage.     

Chromatin perturbations during the DNA damage response in higher eukaryotes

The DNA damage response is a widely used term that encompasses all signaling initiated at DNA lesions and damaged replication forks as it extends to orchestrate DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, cell death and senescence. ATM, an apical DNA damage signaling kinase, is virtually instantaneously activated following the introduction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex, which has a catalytic role in DNA repair, and the KAT5 (Tip60) acetyltransferase are required for maximal ATM kinase activation in cells exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation. The sensing of DNA lesions occurs within a highly complex and heterogeneous chromatin environment. Chromatin decondensation and histone eviction at DSBs may be permissive for KAT5 binding to H3K9me3 and H3K36me3, ATM kinase acetylation and activation. Furthermore, chromatin perturbation may be a prerequisite for most DNA repair. Nucleosome disassembly during DNA repair was first reported in the 1970s by Smerdon and colleagues when nucleosome rearrangement was noted during the process of nucleotide excision repair of UV-induced DNA damage in human cells. Recently, the multi-functional protein nucleolin was identified as the relevant histone chaperone required for partial nucleosome disruption at DBSs, the recruitment of repair enzymes and for DNA repair. Notably, ATM kinase is activated by chromatin perturbations induced by a variety of treatments that do not directly cause DSBs, including treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors. Central to the mechanisms that activate ATR, the second apical DNA damage signaling kinase, outside of a stalled and collapsed replication fork in S-phase, is chromatin decondensation and histone eviction associated with DNA end resection at DSBs. Thus, a stress that is common to both ATM and ATR kinase activation is chromatin perturbations, and we argue that chromatin perturbations are both sufficient and required for induction of the DNA damage response.     

A defect in DNA double strand break processing in cells from unaffected parents of retinoblastoma patients and other apparently normal humans

Cells from unaffected parents of retinoblastoma (RB) patients were previously shown to be hypersensitive to radiation induced G(1) arrest and cell killing [1]. The hypersensitivity was similar to that reported for cells from ATM heterozygotes. The latter was consistent with a mild DNA DSB rejoining defect which we demonstrated using a gamma-H2AX focus assay after low dose-rate (LDR) irradiation of non-cycling G(0) cells [2,3]. Since neither parent carried the mutant RB allele of the RB heterozygous probands, these results suggested the possibility of an enhanced germline mutation rate, perhaps resulting from some mild defect in genome maintenance. We therefore examined levels of gamma-H2AX foci for cells from these RB parents in this G(0) LDR assay, which reflects the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) capacity of cells and in a G(2)/M assay, which reflects additional contributions from other G(2)-related damage processing systems. For several of the cell strains parallel radiosensitivity comparisons were made for cell killing and for G(2) chromosomal radiosensitivities. G(0) cells from the RB parents were clearly hypersensitive both in the LDR gamma-H2AX assay, and for cell killing. In addition, cultured fibroblasts from 6 of 15 apparently normal individuals in this study (and one of six in a previous study) were also hypersensitive in the same assays. In the G(2)/M gamma-H2AX assay, the relative sensitivities were similar to those seen in the low dose-rate G(0) assay and tracked with chromosomal radiosensitivity, but some differences were observed.     

Dynamic inhibition of ATM kinase provides a strategy for glioblastoma multiforme radiosensitization and growth control

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is notoriously resistant to treatment. Therefore, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. ATM elicits the DNA damage response (DDR), which confers cellular radioresistance; thus, targeting the DDR with an ATM inhibitior (ATMi) is very attractive. Herein, we show that dynamic ATM kinase inhibition in the nanomolar range results in potent radiosensitization of human glioma cells, inhibits growth and does not conflict with temozolomide (TMZ) treatment. The second generation ATMi analog KU-60019 provided quick, reversible and complete inhibition of the DDR at sub-micromolar concentrations in human glioblastoma cells. KU-60019 inhibited the phosphorylation of the major DNA damage effectors p53, H2AX and KAP1 as well as AKT. Colony-forming radiosurvival showed that continuous exposure to nanomolar concentrations of KU-60019 effectively radiosensitized glioblastoma cell lines. When cells were co-treated with KU-60019 and TMZ, a slight increase in radiation-induced cell killing was noted, although TMZ alone was unable to radiosensitize these cells. In addition, without radiation, KU-60019 with or without TMZ reduced glioma cell growth but had no significant effect on the survival of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived astrocytes. Altogether, transient inhibition of the ATM kinase provides a promising strategy for radiosensitizing GBM in combination with standard treatment. In addition, without radiation, KU-60019 limits growth of glioma cells in co-culture with human astrocytes that seem unaffected by the same treatment. Thus, inter-fraction growth inhibition could perhaps be achieved in vivo with minor adverse effects to the brain.Key words: AKT, DNA repair, KU-60019, temozolomide     

ATM/ATR‐mediated phosphorylation of PALB2 promotes RAD51 function

DNA damage activates the ATM and ATR kinases that coordinate checkpoint and DNA repair pathways. An essential step in homology‐directed repair (HDR) of DNA breaks is the formation of RAD51 nucleofilaments mediated by PALB2–BRCA2; however, roles of ATM and ATR in this critical step of HDR are poorly understood. Here, we show that PALB2 is markedly phosphorylated in response to genotoxic stresses such as ionizing radiation and hydroxyurea. This response is mediated by the ATM and ATR kinases through three N‐terminal S/Q‐sites in PALB2, the consensus target sites for ATM and ATR. Importantly, a phospho‐deficient PALB2 mutant is unable to support proper RAD51 foci formation, a key PALB2 regulated repair event, whereas a phospho‐mimicking PALB2 version supports RAD51 foci formation. Moreover, phospho‐deficient PALB2 is less potent in HDR than wild‐type PALB2. Further, this mutation reveals a separation in PALB2 function, as the PALB2‐dependent checkpoint response is normal in cells expressing the phospho‐deficient PALB2 mutant. Collectively, our findings highlight a critical importance of PALB2 phosphorylation as a novel regulatory step in genome maintenance after genotoxic stress.