scholarly journals A versatile system to introduce clusters of genomic double-strand breaks in large cell populations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Kolb ◽  
Umar Khalid ◽  
Milena Simović ◽  
Manasi Ratnaparkhe ◽  
John Wong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn vitro assays for clustered DNA lesions will facilitate the analysis of the mechanisms underlying complex genome rearrangements such as chromothripsis, including the recruitment of repair factors to sites of DNA double-strand breaks. We present a novel method generating localized DNA double-strand breaks using UV-irradiation with photomasks. The size of the damage foci and the spacing between lesions are fully adjustable, making the assay suitable for different cell types and targeted areas. We validated this set-up with genomically stable epithelial cells, normal fibroblasts, pluripotent stem cells and patient-derived primary cultures. Our method does not require a specialized device such as a laser, making it accessible to a broad range of users. Sensitization by BrdU incorporation is not required, which enables analyzing the DNA damage response in post-mitotic cells. Irradiated cells can be cultivated further, followed by time-lapse imaging or used for downstream biochemical analyses, thanks to the high-throughput of the system. Importantly, we showed genome rearrangements in the irradiated cells, providing a proof of principle for the induction of structural variants by localized DNA lesions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7638
Author(s):  
Yvonne Lorat ◽  
Judith Reindl ◽  
Anna Isermann ◽  
Christian Rübe ◽  
Anna A. Friedl ◽  
...  

Background: Charged-particle radiotherapy is an emerging treatment modality for radioresistant tumors. The enhanced effectiveness of high-energy particles (such as heavy ions) has been related to the spatial clustering of DNA lesions due to highly localized energy deposition. Here, DNA damage patterns induced by single and multiple carbon ions were analyzed in the nuclear chromatin environment by different high-resolution microscopy approaches. Material and Methods: Using the heavy-ion microbeam SNAKE, fibroblast monolayers were irradiated with defined numbers of carbon ions (1/10/100 ions per pulse, ipp) focused to micrometer-sized stripes or spots. Radiation-induced lesions were visualized as DNA damage foci (γH2AX, 53BP1) by conventional fluorescence and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. At micro- and nanoscale level, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were visualized within their chromatin context by labeling the Ku heterodimer. Single and clustered pKu70-labeled DSBs were quantified in euchromatic and heterochromatic regions at 0.1 h, 5 h and 24 h post-IR by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: Increasing numbers of carbon ions per beam spot enhanced spatial clustering of DNA lesions and increased damage complexity with two or more DSBs in close proximity. This effect was detectable in euchromatin, but was much more pronounced in heterochromatin. Analyzing the dynamics of damage processing, our findings indicate that euchromatic DSBs were processed efficiently and repaired in a timely manner. In heterochromatin, by contrast, the number of clustered DSBs continuously increased further over the first hours following IR exposure, indicating the challenging task for the cell to process highly clustered DSBs appropriately. Conclusion: Increasing numbers of carbon ions applied to sub-nuclear chromatin regions enhanced the spatial clustering of DSBs and increased damage complexity, this being more pronounced in heterochromatic regions. Inefficient processing of clustered DSBs may explain the enhanced therapeutic efficacy of particle-based radiotherapy in cancer treatment.


Author(s):  
Xinrui Zhang ◽  
Mariana Bobeica ◽  
Michael Unger ◽  
Anastasia Bednarz ◽  
Bjoern Gerold ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU/FUS) has expanded as a noninvasive quantifiable option for hyperthermia (HT). HT in a temperature range of 40–47 °C (thermal dose CEM43 ≥ 25) could work as a sensitizer to radiation therapy (RT). Here, we attempted to understand the tumor radiosensitization effect at the cellular level after a combination treatment of FUS+RT. Methods An in vitro FUS system was developed to induce HT at frequencies of 1.147 and 1.467 MHz. Human head and neck cancer (FaDU), glioblastoma (T98G), and prostate cancer (PC-3) cells were exposed to FUS in ultrasound-penetrable 96-well plates followed by single-dose X‑ray irradiation (10 Gy). Radiosensitizing effects of FUS were investigated by cell metabolic activity (WST‑1 assay), apoptosis (annexin V assay, sub-G1 assay), cell cycle phases (propidium iodide staining), and DNA double-strand breaks (γH2A.X assay). Results The FUS intensities of 213 (1.147 MHz) and 225 W/cm2 (1.467 MHz) induced HT for 30 min at mean temperatures of 45.20 ± 2.29 °C (CEM43 = 436 ± 88) and 45.59 ± 1.65 °C (CEM43 = 447 ± 79), respectively. FUS improves the effect of RT significantly by reducing metabolic activity in T98G cells 48 h (RT: 96.47 ± 8.29%; FUS+RT: 79.38 ± 14.93%; p = 0.012) and in PC-3 cells 72 h (54.20 ± 10.85%; 41.01 ± 11.17%; p = 0.016) after therapy, but not in FaDu cells. Mechanistically, FUS+RT leads to increased apoptosis and enhancement of DNA double-strand breaks compared to RT alone in T98G and PC-3 cells. Conclusion Our in vitro findings demonstrate that FUS has good potential to sensitize glioblastoma and prostate cancer cells to RT by mainly enhancing DNA damage.


Author(s):  
Honoka Obata ◽  
Atsushi B. Tsuji ◽  
Hitomi Sudo ◽  
Aya Sugyo ◽  
Katsuyuki Minegishi ◽  
...  

Due to their short range (2–500 nm), Auger electrons (Auger e-) have the potential to induce nano-scale physiochemical damage to biomolecules. Although DNA is the primary target of Au-ger e-, it remains challenging to maximize the interaction between Auger e- and DNA. To assess the DNA-damaging effect of Auger e- released as close as possible to DNA without chemical damage, we radio-synthesized no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) [189, 191Pt]cisplatin and evaluated both its in vitro properties and DNA-damaging effect. Cellular uptake, intracellular distribution, and DNA binding were investigated, and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were evaluated by im-munofluorescence staining of γH2AX and gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA. Approximately 20% of intracellular radio-Pt was in a nucleus, and about 2% of intra-nucleus radio-Pt bound to DNA, although uptake of n.c.a. radio-cisplatin was low (0.6% incubated dose after 25-h incuba-tion), resulting in the frequency of cells with γH2AX foci was low (1%). Nevertheless, some cells treated with radio-cisplatin had γH2AX aggregates unlike non-radioactive cisplatin. These findings suggest n.c.a. radio-cisplatin binding to DNA causes severe DSBs by release of Auger e- very close to DNA without chemical damage by carriers. Efficient radio-drug delivery to DNA is necessary for successful clinical application of Auger e-.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (17) ◽  
pp. 9449-9461
Author(s):  
Lea Milling Korsholm ◽  
Zita Gál ◽  
Blanca Nieto ◽  
Oliver Quevedo ◽  
Stavroula Boukoura ◽  
...  

Abstract DNA damage poses a serious threat to human health and cells therefore continuously monitor and repair DNA lesions across the genome. Ribosomal DNA is a genomic domain that represents a particular challenge due to repetitive sequences, high transcriptional activity and its localization in the nucleolus, where the accessibility of DNA repair factors is limited. Recent discoveries have significantly extended our understanding of how cells respond to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the nucleolus, and new kinases and multiple down-stream targets have been identified. Restructuring of the nucleolus can occur as a consequence of DSBs and new data point to an active regulation of this process, challenging previous views. Furthermore, new insights into coordination of cell cycle phases and ribosomal DNA repair argue against existing concepts. In addition, the importance of nucleolar-DNA damage response (n-DDR) mechanisms for maintenance of genome stability and the potential of such factors as anti-cancer targets is becoming apparent. This review will provide a detailed discussion of recent findings and their implications for our understanding of the n-DDR. The n-DDR shares features with the DNA damage response (DDR) elsewhere in the genome but is also emerging as an independent response unique to ribosomal DNA and the nucleolus.


Cell Cycle ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Sordet ◽  
Asako J. Nakamura ◽  
Christophe E. Redon ◽  
Yves Pommier

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haohan Zhuang ◽  
Chaoqun Yao ◽  
Xianfeng Zhao ◽  
Xueqiu Chen ◽  
Yimin Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate parasite of all warm-blooded animals around the globe. Once infecting a cell, it manipulates the host’s DNA damage response that is yet to be elucidated. The objectives of the present study were three-fold: (i) to assess DNA damages in T. gondii-infected cells in vitro; (ii) to ascertain causes of DNA damage in T. gondii-infected cells; and (iii) to investigate activation of DNA damage responses during T. gondii infection. Methods HeLa, Vero and HEK293 cells were infected with T. gondii at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10:1. Infected cells were analyzed for a biomarker of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) γH2AX at 10 h, 20 h or 30 h post-infection using both western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), and ROS-induced DNA damage was inhibited by a ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Lastly, DNA damage responses were evaluated by detecting the active form of ataxia telangiectasia mutated/checkpoint kinase 2 (ATM/CHK2) by western blot. Results γH2AX levels in the infected HeLa cells were significantly increased over time during T. gondii infection compared to uninfected cells. NAC treatment greatly reduced ROS and concomitantly diminished γH2AX in host cells. The phosphorylated ATM/CHK2 were elevated in T. gondii-infected cells. Conclusions Toxoplasma gondii infection triggered DNA DSBs with ROS as a major player in host cells in vitro. It also activated DNA damage response pathway ATM/CHK2. Toxoplasma gondii manages to keep a balance between survival and apoptosis of its host cells for the benefit of its own survival.


Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 355 (6320) ◽  
pp. 40-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni P. Mimitou ◽  
Shintaro Yamada ◽  
Scott Keeney

DNA double-strand breaks that initiate meiotic recombination are exonucleolytically processed. This 5′→3′ resection is a central, conserved feature of recombination but remains poorly understood. To address this lack, we mapped resection endpoints genome-wide at high resolution inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Full-length resection requires Exo1 exonuclease and the DSB-responsive kinase Tel1, but not Sgs1 helicase. Tel1 also promotes efficient and timely resection initiation. Resection endpoints display pronounced heterogeneity between genomic loci that reflects a tendency for nucleosomes to block Exo1, yet Exo1 also appears to digest chromatin with high processivity and at rates similar to naked DNA in vitro. This paradox points to nucleosome destabilization or eviction as a defining feature of the meiotic resection landscape.


2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1731) ◽  
pp. 20160282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Torrecilla ◽  
Judith Oehler ◽  
Kristijan Ramadan

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are the most cytotoxic DNA lesions and, if not repaired, lead to chromosomal rearrangement, genomic instability and cell death. Cells have evolved a complex network of DNA repair and signalling molecules which promptly detect and repair DSBs, commonly known as the DNA damage response (DDR). The DDR is orchestrated by various post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, methylation, ubiquitination or SUMOylation. As DSBs are located in complex chromatin structures, the repair of DSBs is engineered at two levels: (i) at sites of broken DNA and (ii) at chromatin structures that surround DNA lesions. Thus, DNA repair and chromatin remodelling machineries must work together to efficiently repair DSBs. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of the ubiquitin-dependent molecular unfoldase/segregase p97 (VCP in vertebrates and Cdc48 in worms and lower eukaryotes) in DSB repair. We identify p97 as an essential factor that regulates DSB repair. p97-dependent extraction of ubiquitinated substrates mediates spatio-temporal protein turnover at and around the sites of DSBs, thus orchestrating chromatin remodelling and DSB repair. As p97 is a druggable target, p97 inhibition in the context of DDR has great potential for cancer therapy, as shown for other DDR components such as PARP, ATR and CHK1. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Chromatin modifiers and remodellers in DNA repair and signalling’.


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