Molecular spectra of HPRT deletion mutations in circulating T-lymphocytes in Fanconi anemia patients

The principal cellular feature of Fanconi anemia (FA), an inherited cancer prone disorder, is a high level of chromosomal breakage, amplified after treatment with crosslinking agents. Three of the eight genes involved in FA have been cloned: FANC , FANC and FANC . However, their biological functions remain unknown. We previously observed an excessive production of deletions at the HPRT locus in FA lymphoblasts belonging to the relatively rare complementation group D(1) and an increased frequency of glycophorin A (GPA) variants in erythrocytes derived from FA patients (2). In this study, we examined the molecular nature of 31 HPRT mutations formed in vivo in circulating T-lymphocytes isolated from 9 FA male patients. The results show that in all FA patients investigated the deletions are by far the most prevalent mutational event in contrast to age matched healthy donors, in which point mutations predominate. The complementation group in the FA patients examined in the present study has not yet been defined. However, knowing that mutations in the FANC and FANC gene are found to be involved in at least 70% of the FA patients, it can be expected that the excessive production of deletions is a general feature of the FA phenotype. In addition, the spectrum of HPRT deletions observed in FA patients differs from that of healthy children: there is a high frequency of 3′-terminal deletions and a strikingly low proportion of V(D)J mediated events. Based on previous findings, a decreased fidelity of coding V(D)J joint formation (3) and an inaccurate repair of specific DNA double strand breaks via Non-Homologous End Joining (4), we propose that FA genes play a role in the control of the fidelity of rejoining of specific DNA ends. Such a defect may explain several basic features of FA, such as chromosomal instability and deletion pronenness.     

Fanconi anemia proteins FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG/XRCC9 interact in a functional nuclear complex

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive cancer susceptibility syndrome with at least eight complementation groups (A to H). Three FA genes, corresponding to complementation groups A, C, and G, have been cloned, but their cellular function remains unknown. We have previously demonstrated that the FANCA and FANCC proteins interact and form a nuclear complex in normal cells, suggesting that the proteins cooperate in a nuclear function. In this report, we demonstrate that the recently cloned FANCG/XRCC9 protein is required for binding of the FANCA and FANCC proteins. Moreover, the FANCG protein is a component of a nuclear protein complex containing FANCA and FANCC. The amino-terminal region of the FANCA protein is required for FANCG binding, FANCC binding, nuclear localization, and functional activity of the complex. Our results demonstrate that the three cloned FA proteins cooperate in a large multisubunit complex. Disruption of this complex results in the specific cellular and clinical phenotype common to most FA complementation groups.     

Isolation of a cDNA representing the Fanconi anemia complementation group E gene

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive chromosomal instability syndrome with at least seven different complementation groups. Four FA genes (FANCA, FANCC, FANCF, and FANCG) have been identified, and two other FA genes (FANCD and FANCE) have been mapped. Here we report the identification, by complementation cloning, of the gene mutated in FA complementation group E (FANCE). FANCE has 10 exons and encodes a novel 536-amino acid protein with two potential nuclear localization signals.     

Resistance to mitomycin C requires direct interaction between the Fanconi anemia proteins FANCA and FANCG in the nucleus through an arginine-rich domain

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, birth defects, and chromosomal instability. Because FA cells are sensitive to mitomycin C (MMC), FA gene products could be involved in cellular defense mechanisms. The FANCA and FANCG proteins deficient in FA groups A and G interact directly with each other. We have localized the mutual interaction domains of these proteins to amino acids 18-29 of FANCA and to two noncontiguous carboxyl-terminal domains of FANCG encompassing amino acids 400-475 and 585-622. Site-directed mutagenesis of FANCA residues 18-29 revealed a novel arginine-rich interaction domain (RRRAWAELLAG). By alanine mutagenesis, Arg(1), Arg(2), and Leu(8) but not Arg(3), Trp(5), and Glu(7) appeared to be critical for binding to FANCG. Similar immunolocalization for FANCA and FANCG suggested that these proteins interact in vivo. Moreover, targeting of FANCA to the nucleus or the cytoplasm with nuclear localization and nuclear export signals, respectively, showed concordance between the localization patterns of FANCA and FANCG. The complementation function of FANCA was abolished by mutations in its FANCG-binding domain. Conversely, stable expression of FANCA mutants encoding intact FANCG interaction domains induced hypersensitivity to MMC in HeLa cells. These results demonstrate that FANCA-FANCG complexes are required for cellular resistance to MMC. Because the FANCC protein deficient in FA group C works within the cytoplasm, we suggest that FANCC and the FANCA-FANCG complexes suppress MMC cytotoxicity within distinct cellular compartments.     

Reverse mosaicism in Fanconi anemia: natural gene therapy via molecular self-correction

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogenous autosomal recessive disease associated with chromosomal instability and hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinkers. Prognosis is poor due to progressive bone marrow failure and increased risk of neoplasia, but revertant mosaicism may improve survival. Mechanisms of reversion include back mutation, intragenic crossover, gene conversion and compensating deletions/insertions. We describe the types of reversions found in five mosaic FA patients who are compound heterozygotes for single base mutations in FANCA or FANCC. Intragenic crossover could be shown as the mechanism of self-correction in the FANCC patient. Restoration to wildtype via back mutation or gene conversion of either the paternal or maternal allele was observed in the FANCA patients. The sequence environments of these mutations/reversions were indicative of high mutability, and selective advantage of bone marrow precursor cells carrying a completely restored FANCA allele might explain the surprisingly uniform pattern of these reversions. We also describe a first example of in vitro phenotypic reversion via the emergence of a compensating missense mutation 15 amino acids downstream of the constitutional mutation, which explains the reversion to MMC resistance of the respective lymphoblastoid cell line. With one exception, our mosaic patients showed improvement of their hematological status during a three- to six-year observation period, indicating a proliferative advantage of the reverted cell lineages. In patients with Fanconi anemia, genetic instability due to defective caretaker genes sharply increases the risk of neoplasia, but at the same time increases the chance for revertant mosaicism leading to improved bone marrow function.     

Investigation of Fanconi anemia protein interactions by yeast two-hybrid analysis

Fanconi anemia is a chromosomal breakage disorder with eight complementation groups (A-H), and three genes (FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG) have been identified. Initial investigations of the interaction between FANCA and FANCC, principally by co-immunoprecipitation, have proved controversial. We used the yeast two-hybrid assay to test for interactions of the FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG proteins. No activation of the reporter gene was observed in yeast co-expressing FANCA and FANCC as hybrid proteins, suggesting that FANCA does not directly interact with FANCC. However, a high level of activation was found when FANCA was co-expressed with FANCG, indicating strong, direct interaction between these proteins. Both FANCA and FANCG show weak but consistent interaction with themselves, suggesting that their function may involve dimerisation. The site of interaction of FANCG with FANCA was investigated by analysis of 12 mutant fragments of FANCG. Although both N- and C-terminal fragments did interact, binding to FANCA was drastically reduced, suggesting that more than one region of the FANCG protein is required for proper interaction with FANCA.     

Fanconi anaemia proteins: major roles in cell protection against oxidative damage

Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a cancer-prone genetic disorder that is characterised by cytogenetic instability and redox abnormalities. Although rare subtypes of FA (B, D1 and D2) have been implicated in DNA repair through links with BRCA1 and BRCA2, such a role has yet to be demonstrated for gene products of the common subtypes. Instead, these products have been strongly implicated in xenobiotic metabolism and redox homeostasis through interactions of FANCC with cytochrome P-450 reductase and with glutathione S-transferase, and of FANCG with cytochrome P-450 2E1, as well as redox-dependent signalling through an interaction between FANCA and Akt kinase. We hypothesise that FA proteins act directly (via FANCC and FANCG) and indirectly (via FANCA, BRCA2 and FANCD2) with the machinery of cellular defence to modulate oxidative stress. The latter interactions may co-ordinate the link between the response to DNA damage and oxidative stress parameters (3, 6-12).     

Cytoplasmic FANCA-FANCC Complex Interacts and Stabilizes the Cytoplasm-dislocalized Leukemic Nucleophosmin Protein (NPMc)

Eight of the Fanconi anemia (FA) proteins form a core complex that activates the FA pathway. Some core complex components also form subcomplexes for yet-to-be-elucidated functions. Here, we have analyzed the interaction between a cytoplasmic FA subcomplex and the leukemic nucleophosmin (NPMc). Exogenous NPMc was degraded rapidly in FA acute myeloid leukemia bone marrow cells. Knockdown of FANCA or FANCC in leukemic OCI/AML3 cells induced rapid degradation of endogenous NPMc. NPMc degradation was mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway involving the IBR-type RING-finger E3 ubiquitin ligase IBRDC2, and genetic correction of FA-A or FA-C lymphoblasts prevented NPMc ubiquitination. Moreover, cytoplasmic FANCA and FANCC formed a cytoplasmic complex and interacted with NPMc. Using a patient-derived FANCC mutant and a nuclearized FANCC, we demonstrated that the cytoplasmic FANCA-FANCC complex was essential for NPMc stability. Finally, depletion of FANCA and FANCC in NPMc-positive leukemic cells significantly increased inflammation and chemoresistance through NF-κB activation. Our findings not only reveal the molecular mechanism involving cytoplasmic retention of NPMc but also suggest cytoplasmic function of FANCA and FANCC in NPMc-related leukemogenesis.     

Complex role of the FA proteins in providing genome stability

FA is a rare genetic disorder characterized by developmental abnormalities, bone marrow failure and cancer susceptibility. Cells that are derived from patients with FA display spontaneous chromosomal instability and hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents that is used in FA clinical diagnostics. FA is genetically heterogeneous and caused by mutations in at least 11 distinct genes, FANCA, FANCA, B, C, D1, D2, E, F, G, I, J and L. FA proteins interact with various proteins involved in DNA damage response and cell cycle checkpoint regulation, such as: RAD51, BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM or NBS1. Moreover, BRCA2 that plays a crucial role in homologous recombination is one of FA proteins. Collectively, all these data indicate, that the FA pathway is involved in different molecular processes that prevent DNA and control genomic stability, although its precise role still remains undefined.     

Deficient regulation of DNA double-strand break repair in Fanconi anemia fibroblasts

Fibroblasts from patients with Fanconi anemia (FA) display genomic instability, hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, and deficient DNA end joining. Fibroblasts from two FA patients of unidentified complementation group also had significantly increased cellular homologous recombination (HR) activity. Results described herein show that HR activity levels in patient-derived FA fibroblasts of groups A, C, and G were 10-fold greater than those seen in normal fibroblasts. In contrast, HR activity in group D2 fibroblasts was identical to that in normal cells. Western blot analysis revealed that the RAD51 protein was elevated 10-fold above normal levels in group A, C, and G fibroblasts, but was not altered in group D2 fibroblasts. HR activity levels in these former cells could be restored to near-normal levels by electroporation with anti-RAD51 antibody, whereas similar treatment of normal and complementation group D2 fibroblasts had no effect. These findings are consistent with a model in which FA proteins function to coordinate DNA double-strand break repair activity by regulating both recombinational and non-recombinational DNA repair. Interestingly, whereas positive regulation of DNA end joining requires the combined presence of all FA proteins thus far tested, suppression of HR, which is minimally dependent on the FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG proteins, does not require FANCD2.     

Loss of FANCC function is associated with failure to inhibit late firing replication origins after DNA cross-linking

Fanconi anemia (FA) cells are abnormally sensitive to DNA cross-linking agents with increased levels of apoptosis and chromosomal instability. Defects in eight FA complementation groups inhibit monoubiquitination of FANCD2, and subsequent recruitment of FANCD2 to DNA damage and S-phase-associated nuclear foci. The specific functional defect in repair or response to DNA damage in FA cells remains unknown. Damage-resistant DNA synthesis is present 2.5-5 h after cross-linker treatment of FANCC, FANCA and FANCD2-deficient cells. Analysis of the size distribution of labeled DNA replication strands revealed that diepoxybutane treatment suppressed labeling of early but not late-firing replicons in FANCC-deficient cells. In contrast, normal responses to ionizing radiation were observed in FANCC-deficient cells. Absence of this late S-phase response in FANCC-deficient cells leads to activation of secondary checkpoint responses.     

Analysis of mutagenic V(D)J recombinase mediated mutations at the HPRT locus as an in vivo model for studying rearrangements with leukemogenic potential in children

Pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a multifactorial malignancy with many distinctive developmentally specific features that include age specific acquisition of deletions, insertions and chromosomal translocations. The analysis of breakpoint regions involved in these leukemogenic genomic rearrangements has provided evidence that many are the consequence of V(D)J recombinase mediated events at both immune and non-immune loci. Hence, the direct investigation of in vivo genetic and epigenetic features in human peripheral lymphocytes is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms responsible for the specificity and frequency of these leukemogenic non-immune V(D)J recombinase events. In this review, I will present the utility of analyzing mutagenic V(D)J recombinase mediated genomic rearrangements at the HPRT locus in humans as an in vivo model system for understanding the mechanisms responsible for leukemogenic genetic alterations observed in children with leukemia.     

The Fanconi anemia proteins functionally interact with the protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR)

Protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR) plays critical roles in cell growth and apoptosis and is implicated as a potential pathogenic factor of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Here we report that this proapoptotic kinase is also involved in Fanconi anemia (FA), a disease characterized by bone marrow (BM) failure and leukemia. We have used a BM extract to show that three FA proteins, FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG, functionally interact with the PKR kinase, which in turn regulates translational control. By using a combined immunoprecipitation and reconstituted kinase assay, in which an active PKR kinase complex was captured from a normal cell extract, we demonstrated functional interactions between the FA proteins and the PKR kinase. In primary human BM cells, mutations in the FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG genes markedly increase the amount of PKR bound to FANCC, and this PKR accumulation is correlated with elevated PKR activation and hypersensitivity of BM progenitor cells to growth repression mediated by the inhibitory cytokines interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Specific inhibition of PKR by 2-aminopurine in these FA BM cells attenuates PKR activation and apoptosis induction. In lymphoblasts derived from an FA-C patient, overexpression of a dominant negative mutant PKR (PKRK296R) suppressed PKR activation and apoptosis induced by interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Furthermore, by using genetically matched wild-type and PKR-null cells, we demonstrated that forced expression of a patient-derived FA-C mutant (FANCCL554P) augmented double-stranded RNA-induced PKR activation and cell death. Thus, inappropriate activation of PKR as a consequence of certain FA mutations might play a role in bone marrow failure that frequently occurred in FA.     

Quantitative PCR analysis reveals a high incidence of large intragenic deletions in the FANCA gene in Spanish Fanconi anemia patients

Fanconi anaemia is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by chromosome fragility, multiple congenital abnormalities, progressive bone marrow failure and a high predisposition to develop malignancies. Most of the Fanconi anaemia patients belong to complementation group FA-A due to mutations in the FANCA gene. This gene contains 43 exons along a 4.3-kb coding sequence with a very heterogeneous mutational spectrum that makes the mutation screening of FANCA a difficult task. In addition, as the FANCA gene is rich in Alu sequences, it was reported that Alu-mediated recombination led to large intragenic deletions that cannot be detected in heterozygous state by conventional PCR, SSCP analysis, or DNA sequencing. To overcome this problem, a method based on quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR was proposed to detect intragenic deletions in FANCA involving the most frequently deleted exons (exons 5, 11, 17, 21 and 31). Here we apply the proposed method to detect intragenic deletions in 25 Spanish FA-A patients previously assigned to complementation group FA-A by FANCA cDNA retroviral transduction. A total of eight heterozygous deletions involving from one to more than 26 exons were detected. Thus, one third of the patients carried a large intragenic deletion that would have not been detected by conventional methods. These results are in agreement with previously published data and indicate that large intragenic deletions are one of the most frequent mutations leading to Fanconi anaemia. Consequently, this technology should be applied in future studies on FANCA to improve the mutation detection rate.     

The Fanconi anemia group E gene, FANCE, maps to chromosome 6p

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically heterogeneous autosomal recessive disease with bone marrow failure and predisposition to cancer as major features, often accompanied by developmental anomalies. The cells of patients with FA are hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking agents in terms of cell survival and chromosomal breakage. Of the eight complementation groups (FA-A to FA-H) distinguished thus far by cell fusion studies, the genes for three-FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG-have been identified, and the FANCD gene has been localized to chromosome 3p22-26. We report here the use of homozygosity mapping and genetic linkage analysis to map a fifth distinct genetic locus for FA. DNA from three families was assigned to group FA-E by cell fusion and complementation analysis and was then used to localize the FANCE gene to chromosome 6p21-22 in an 18.2-cM region flanked by markers D6S422 and D6S1610. This study shows that data from even a small number of families can be successfully used to map a gene for a genetically heterogeneous disorder.     

A DNA double strand break repair defect in Fanconi anemia fibroblasts

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a heterogeneous autosomal recessive disease characterized by congenital abnormalities, pancytopenia, and an increased incidence of cancer. Cells cultured from FA patients display elevated spontaneous chromosomal breaks and deletions and are hypersensitive to bifunctional cross-linking agents. Thus, it has been hypothesized that FA is a DNA repair disorder. We analyzed plasmid end-joining in intact diploid fibroblast cells derived from FA patients. FA fibroblasts from complementation groups A, C, D2, and G rejoined linearized plasmids with a significantly decreased efficiency compared with non-FA fibroblasts. Retrovirus-mediated expression of the respective FA cDNAs in FA cells restored their end-joining efficiency to wild type levels. Human FA fibroblasts and fibroblasts from FA rodent models were also significantly more sensitive to restriction enzyme-induced chromosomal DNA double strand breaks than were their retrovirally corrected counterparts. Taken together, these data show that FA fibroblasts have a deficiency in both extra-chromosomal and chromosomal DNA double strand break repair, a defect that could provide an attractive explanation for some of the pathologies associated with FA.     

Fanconi anemia protein complex is a novel target of the IKK signalsome

Fanconi anemia (FA), a genetic disorder predisposing to aplastic anemia and cancer, is characterized by hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents and oxidative stress. Five of the cloned FA proteins (FANCA, FANCC, FANCE, FANCF, FANCG) appear to be involved in a common functional pathway that is required for the monoubiquitination of a sixth gene product, FANCD2. Here, we report that FANCA associates with the IkappaB kinase (IKK) signalsome via interaction with IKK2. Components of the FANCA complex undergo rapid, stimulus-dependent changes in phosphorylation, which are blocked by kinase-inactive IKK2 (IKK2 K > M). When exposed to mitomycin C, cells expressing IKK2 K > M develop a cell cycle abnormality characteristic of FA. Thus, FANCA may function to recruit IKK2, thus providing the cell a means of rapidly responding to stress.     

Mutational spectral analysis at the HPRT locus in healthy children

There is growing evidence linking somatic mutational events during fetal development and childhood to an increasing number of multifactorial human diseases. Despite this, little is known about the relationship between endogenous and environmentally induced exogenous mutations during human development. Here we describe a comparative spectral analysis of somatic mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) reporter gene locus in healthy children. We observed an age-specific decrease in the proportion of large alterations and a corresponding increase in the proportion of small alterations with increasing age following birth (P<0.001). The age specific decrease in the proportion of large alterations (67-30%) was mainly due to a decrease in the proportion of aberrant variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) (V(D)J) recombinase mediated HPRT deletions (P<0.001). The increase in the proportion of small alterations with age (28-64%) was associated with an increase in transversions from 8% in children at the late stages of fetal development to 31% in children 12-16 years old (P=0.003). Transitions decreased with age, especially at CpG dinucleotides (P=0.010), as transversions increased (P=0.009). These patterns of mutations provide insight into important spontaneous, genotoxic, and site-specific recombinational somatic mutational events associated with the age-specific development of human disease in children as well as adults.