Bone Marrow Failure in Fanconi Anemia from Hyperactive TGF-β Signaling

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 356-356
Author(s):  
Haojian Zhang ◽  
David Kozono ◽  
Kevin O'Connor ◽  
Sofia Vidal-Cardenas ◽  
Abigail Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Genotoxic Stress ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Repair Pathway ◽  
Growth Defects

Abstract Fanconi anemia (FA) is the most common inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. FA patients develop bone marrow failure during the first decade of life due to attrition of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). FA patients also develop other hematologic manifestations, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to clonal evolution. FA is caused by biallelic mutants in one of sixteen FANC genes, the products of which cooperate in the FA/BRCA DNA repair pathway and regulate cellular resistance to DNA cross-linking agents. Bone marrow failure in FA may result, directly or indirectly, from hyperactivation of cell autonomous or microenvironmental growth suppressive pathways induced due to genotoxic stress. Recent studies suggest that one suppressive pathway may be the hyperactive p53 response observed in HSPCs from FA patients. In order to further identify suppressive mechanisms accounting for bone marrow failure in FA, we performed a whole genome-wide shRNA screen in FA cells. Specifically, we screened for candidate genes whose knockdown would rescue cellular growth inhibition and genotoxic stress induced by a DNA cross-linking agent mitomycin C (MMC). We transduced a FA-deficient human fibroblast line with pools of shRNAs and screened for rescue of MMC-inhibited growth. Selected shRNA inserts were identified by next generation sequencing. The top hits in the screen were shRNAs directed against multiple components of the TGF-β signaling pathway. Consistent with this, disruption of the TGF-β signaling pathway by shRNA/sgRNA-mediated knockdown of SMAD3 or TGFR1 (downstream components of the TGF- β pathway) rescued growth of multiple cell lines from several FA complementation groups in presence of genotoxic agents (e.g. MMC or acetaldehyde). Pharmacologic inhibition of the TGF- β pathway using small molecule inhibitors resulted in improved survival of FA-deficient lymphoblast cells in presence of MMC or acetaldehyde, suggesting that a hyperactive, TGF-β-mediated, suppression pathway may account, at least in part, for reduced FA cell growth. Interestingly, genes encoding TGF-β pathway signaling components were highly expressed in the bone marrow from FA patients and FA mice. Moreover, disruption of the TGF- β pathway by shRNA-mediated knockdown of SMAD3 rescued the growth defects of primary HSPCs from FA-deficient murine bone marrow. To further implicate the TGF-β pathway, we established primary stromal cell lines from the bone marrow of FA-deficient mice as well as human FA patients. We confirmed that TGF-β signaling was hyperactive in these stroma cells resulting in growth suppression and elevated phospho-ERK levels due to non-canonical signaling of the pathway. Inhibitors of TGF-β signaling partially rescued the growth defects and reduced phospho-ERK levels in these FA stroma cells. The deficiency of FA DNA repair pathway leads to cellular defects in homologous recombination (HR) repair and hyperactivation of toxic non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated repair. We therefore tested whether inhibition of the TGF-β pathway in FA cells could rescue HR defects and account for the improvement of FA cellular growth. Interestingly, disruption of the TGF-β signaling pathway caused a decrease in NHEJ activity. Disruption of the TGF-β pathway also resulted in reduced MMC-mediated DNA damage and increased HR. Taken together, our results demonstrate that primary FA hematopoietic and bone marrow stromal cells exhibit hyperactive TGF-β signaling accounting at least in part for the bone marrow failure in FA. Inhibitors of the TGF-β signaling pathway may therefore be useful in the clinical treatment of patients with bone marrow failure and Fanconi anemia. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Xeroderma Pigmentosum as a Model for Treatment of Bone Marrow Failure in Fanconi Anemia and Aplastic Anemia.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 4235-4235
Author(s):  
W. Clark Lambert ◽  
Santiago A. Centurion
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Xeroderma Pigmentosum ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
S Phase ◽  
White Female ◽  
Cross Linking

Abstract We have previously shown that the primary cell cycle defect in the inherited, cancer-prone, bone marrow failure associated disease, Fanconi anemia (FA), is not in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, as had been thought for many years, but rather in the S phase. FA cells challenged with the DNA cross-linking agent, psoralen coupled with long wavelength, ultraviolet (UVA) radiation (PUVA), fail to slow their progression through the S phase of the subsequent cell cycle, as do normal cells. FA cells are extremely sensitive to the cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of DNA cross-linkers, such as PUVA, so much so that the diagnosis of FA is based on an assay, the “DEB test”, in which cells are examined for clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of diepoxybutane (DEB), a DNA cross-linking agent. More recently, we have shown that artificially slowing the cell cycle of FA cells exposed to PUVA by subsequent treatment with agents which slow their progression through S phase leads to markedly increased viability and reduced chromosome breakage in vitro. We now show that similar results can be obtained in vivo in patients with another DNA repair deficiency disease, xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a recessively inherited disorder associated with defective repair of sunlight induced adducts in the DNA of sun-exposed tissues followed by development of numerous mutations causing large numbers of cancers in these same tissues. We treated two patients with XP, a light complected black male and a white female, both 14 years of age, in sun-exposed areas with 5-fluorouracil, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, daily for three months. In contrast to normal patients, who only show clinical results if an inflammatory response is invoked, marked improvement in the clinical appearance of the skin was seen with no inflammation observed. This effect was confirmed histologically by examining epidermis adjacent to excised lesions in sun-exposed areas and further verified by computerized image analysis. Treatment with agents that slow progression through S phase, such as hydroxyurea, may similarly improve clinical outcomes in patients with FA or others who are developing bone marrow failure.

Hyperactive Non-Canonical TGF-β Pathway Signaling in Fanconi Anemia Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Contributes to Growth Suppression

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 1039-1039
Author(s):  
Kevin O'Connor ◽  
Sofia Vidal-Cardenas ◽  
Haojian Zhang ◽  
Alfredo Rodriguez ◽  
Lisa Moreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow Stromal Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Genotoxic Stress ◽  
Growth Suppression ◽  
Marrow Stromal Cells ◽  
Growth Defect ◽  
High Level

Abstract Introduction: Fanconi anemia (FA) is the most common inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. FA patients develop bone marrow failure during the first decade of life due to attrition of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). FA is caused by autosomal recessive or X-linked mutations in one of nineteen FANC genes, the products of which cooperate in the FA/BRCA DNA repair pathway and regulate cellular resistance to genotoxic DNA cross-linking agents. Although its mechanism is unknown, bone marrow failure in FA may be the result, directly or indirectly, of hyperactivation of cell-autonomous or microenvironmental growth-suppressive pathways induced, in part, due to genotoxic stress. We have recently identified canonical transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway-mediated growth suppression of HSCs as a cause of bone marrow failure in FA (Zhang H et al, Cell Stem Cell, 2016). We have shown that TGF-β pathway inhibition rescues genotoxic stress, proliferation defects and engraftment defects of FA-deficient HSCs, and ameliorates bone marrow failure in FA mice. Previous studies have suggested that bone marrow stromal fibroblasts from human FA patients and FA pathway-deficient mouse models, like HSCs, are hypersensitive to genotoxic stress and have impaired growth. Here, we therefore investigated the possible suppressive function of the TGF-β pathway in bone marrow stromal cells derived from FA mice and patients with FA. Methods: We established primary stromal cell lines from bone marrow of FA-deficient mice (Fancd2-/- mice) or wild-type sibling control mice. Primary bone marrow stromal cultures were also established from FA patients or normal healthy donors. The stromal cells were characterized and evaluated for growth kinetics, mitomycin C (MMC) sensitivity, chromosome breakage, inflammatory signals and response to the TGF-β inhibitors. CRISPR/Cas-9 technology was used to knockdown specific genes in stromal cells. Results: As expected,the primary bone marrow stromal cells from Fancd2-/- mice exhibited classical FA phenotypes, including hypersensitivity to a DNA cross-linking agent, MMC, and increased MMC-induced chromosomal radials. Fancd2-/- stromal cells also demonstrated a growth defect characterized by an enrichment of cells in G1 and elevated p21 expression. Interestingly, the FA stromal cells derived from FA patients or from Fancd2-/- mice expressed constitutively elevated levels of phosphorylated (activated) ERK1/2 (pERK) compared to control cells. In order to determine whether the factor responsible for inducing ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the murine FA stromal cells was cell-intrinsic or cell-extrinsic, we examined the conditioned media from the stromal cells. Indeed the FA stromal cells secreted a high level of TGF-β cytokine responsible for increased pERK levels, and expressed a high level of secreted TGF-β mRNA. The high level of pERK indicated that the TGF-β non-canonical pathway was hyperactive in the FA stromal cells. Interestingly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of Tgfbr1 or inhibition of the TGF-β pathway by a treatment with a small molecule inhibitor of TGFβR1 or a neutralizing antibody against TGF-β in these cells reduced pERK levels, promoted DNA repair and rescued MMC sensitivity. In addition, a MEK inhibitor also significantly improved the clonogenic growth of Fancd2-/- stromal cells. However, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of Smad3, a downstream target of the canonical TGF-β pathway, did not rescue the growth inhibition of FA stromal cells in MMC, further indicating that hyperactivation of the canonical pathway is less relevant to their growth defect. Collectively, these results demonstrated that the hyperactive TGF-β pathway increases phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in FA stromal cells through the non-canonical signaling pathway and impairs their growth after genotoxic stress. Conclusions: The primary FA bone marrow stromal cells exhibit hyperactive non-canonical TGF-β pathway signaling and blocking this pathway improves their growth under genotoxic stress. The TGF-β signaling pathway-mediated growth suppression in bone marrow stromal cells may account, at least in part, for defective microenvironment, impaired HSC function and bone marrow failure in FA. This work suggests that the TGF-β signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of bone marrow failure in FA. Disclosures Shimamura: TransCellular Therapeutics: Other: Husband is founder. No revenue to date.; Novartis: Other: In discussion regarding possible clinical trial for aplastic anemia; Glaxo Smith Kline: Honoraria.

The Co-Recessive Inheritance Model: A Paradigm for Fanconi Anemia and Other Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 3760-3760
Author(s):  
W. Clark Lambert ◽  
Monique M. Brown ◽  
Santiago A. Centurion
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Complementation Group ◽  
Recessive Model ◽  
Compound Heterozygous ◽  
Recessive Inheritance

Abstract One of us (WCL) has previously proposed a mathematical model, Co-Recessive Inheritance, for inherited diseases associated with DNA repair deficiencies (Lambert WC, Lambert MW: Mutat. Res., 1985;145:227–234; Lambert WC: Keynote Address, 21st Anniversary Celebration, MRC Cell Mutation Unit, University of Sussex, UK. Mutat. Res., 1992;273:179–102). The model is also applicable to diseases associated with defective cell cycle modulation following specific types of DNA damage, such as Fanconi Anemia, with or without additional defects in DNA repair. The model proposes that in some complementation groups of these diseases defective alleles at more than one locus are required for the disease phenotype to be expressed. It follows from the model (A readily understandable derivation will be presented.) that the carrier frequencies of the genes involved are very much higher than would be predicted based on classical population genetics. This may impact on recent observations of higher than expected co-inheritance of defective alleles of Fanconi Anemia and Bloom Syndrome genes along with BRCA genes in certain populations (e.g., Koren-Michowitz, M, et al.: Am. J. Hematol., 2005;78:203–206), and provides an explanation for the lower than expected incidence of cancer in these individuals. It also provides an explanation for finding biallelic defects in the same DNA repair genes in more than one complementation group of Fanconi Anemia (Howlett NG, et al.: Science, 2002;297:606–609). The Co-Recessive Model predicts that other findings of this nature are to be expected, and provides some guidelines that may be helpful in the process of gene discovery in Fanconi Anemia. Among the more important of these are 1) that the search for defective genes in each complementation group should not cease when one such gene is found, even if one or more patients in the group is homozygous or compound heterozygous for defective alleles of that gene, and 2) that carrier frequencies for some Fanconi Anemia genes may be much higher than would otherwise be anticipated, with a significant proportion of the normal population being carriers. If the latter hypothesis is correct, it follows that the relevance of these rare diseases and their associated genes to disease, including bone marrow failure, in the general population is dramatically greater than has been generally believed.

scholarly journals Congenital bone marrow failure in DNA-PKcs mutant mice associated with deficiencies in DNA repair

2011 ◽  
Vol 193 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shichuan Zhang ◽  
Hirohiko Yajima ◽  
HoangDinh Huynh ◽  
Junke Zheng ◽  
Elsa Callen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Genotoxic Stress ◽  
Nonhomologous End Joining ◽  
End Joining ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
P53 Activation

The nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway is essential for radioresistance and lymphocyte-specific V(D)J (variable [diversity] joining) recombination. Defects in NHEJ also impair hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activity with age but do not affect the initial establishment of HSC reserves. In this paper, we report that, in contrast to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)–dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs)–null mice, knockin mice with the DNA-PKcs3A/3A allele, which codes for three alanine substitutions at the mouse Thr2605 phosphorylation cluster, die prematurely because of congenital bone marrow failure. Impaired proliferation of DNA-PKcs3A/3A HSCs is caused by excessive DNA damage and p53-dependent apoptosis. In addition, increased apoptosis in the intestinal crypt and epidermal hyperpigmentation indicate the presence of elevated genotoxic stress and p53 activation. Analysis of embryonic fibroblasts further reveals that DNA-PKcs3A/3A cells are hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking agents and are defective in both homologous recombination and the Fanconi anemia DNA damage response pathways. We conclude that phosphorylation of DNA-PKcs is essential for the normal activation of multiple DNA repair pathways, which in turn is critical for the maintenance of diverse populations of tissue stem cells in mice.

TGF-β Pathway Inhibition Rescues the Function of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Derived from Patients with Fanconi Anemia

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 297-297
Author(s):  
Haojian Zhang ◽  
David Kozono ◽  
Kevin O'Connor ◽  
Alix Rousseau ◽  
Lisa Moreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Genotoxic Stress ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Pathway Inhibition

Abstract Introduction: Fanconi anemia (FA) is the most common inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. FA patients develop bone marrow failure during the first decade of life, and frequently require an allogeneic or unrelated donor bone marrow transplant. FA patients also develop other hematologic manifestations, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to clonal evolution. FA is caused by biallelic mutation in one of eighteen FANC genes, the products of which cooperate in the FA/BRCA DNA repair pathway and regulate cellular resistance to DNA cross-linking agents. Bone marrow failure in FA is attributable to an impaired hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) pool. HSPCs in FA patients and FA mice exhibit reduced cell number and compromised stem cell function. Recent studies suggest that bone marrow failure in FA and impaired HSPC function result from the genotoxicity of endogenous cross-linking agents or from physiological stress. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of impairment of HSPC function could improve the therapeutic options for FA patients. Using a whole genome-wide shRNA screen, we have recently identified that the canonical transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway plays an important growth suppressive role in FA and targeting this pathway can reduce the genotoxic stress-induced growth inhibition of FA cells. Here, we investigated the possible suppressive function of the TGF-β pathway in HSPCs derived from patients with FA. Methods: We performed in vitro colony-forming assays using primary FA patient- derived bone marrow CD34+ cells which were either transduced with shRNA targeting SMAD3 or treated with the anti-human TGF-β neutralizing antibody GC1008. FA-like HSPCs were generated by stably knocking down FANCD2 with lentivirus encoded shRNA in primary human cord blood CD34+ cells. An in vivo engraftment assay was performed by transplanting the FA-like HSPCs into irradiated NSG mice. Results: The primary human FA bone marrow cells displayed elevated mRNA expression of multiple TGF-β pathway components. The TGF-β pathway inhibition, by knockdown of SMAD3 or anti-human TGF-β neutralizing antibody GC1008, rescued the in vitro clonogenic defects of primary CD34+ cells from bone marrow of five different FA patients. Similarly, the TGF-β pathway disruption by depletion of SMAD3 or GC1008 antibody in primary FA-like HSPCs, also rescued their clonogenic defect, and partially restored genotoxic stress-induced growth inhibition. Further, as the very low number of CD34+ cells in FA patients did not allow efficient xenograft assay to analyze in vivo clonogenicity, we performed a surrogate in vivo xenograft assay using FA-like primary CD34+ cells. Importantly, blockade of the TGF-β pathway by GC1008 antibody treatment enhanced the engraftment potential of primary FA-like CD34+ cells in vivo. Collectively, these results demonstrated that increased TGF-β pathway signaling impairs the hematopoietic function of primary human FA HSPCs. Conclusions: The TGF-β pathway signaling is increased in primary FA patient-derived hematopoietic cells and blockade of this pathway can restore the function of human FA-deficient primary HSPCs. The TGF-β signaling pathway-mediated growth suppression may account, at least in part, for bone marrow failure in FA. This work suggests that the TGF-β signaling pathway provides a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of bone marrow failure in FA. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Bone Marrow Failure in the Fanconi Anemia Group C Mouse Model After DNA Damage

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 91 (8) ◽  
pp. 2737-2744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Carreau ◽  
Olga I. Gan ◽  
Lili Liu ◽  
Monica Doedens ◽  
Colin McKerlie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Inherited Disease

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a pleiotropic inherited disease that causes bone marrow failure in children. However, the specific involvement of FA genes in hematopoiesis and their relation to bone marrow (BM) failure is still unclear. The increased sensitivity of FA cells to DNA cross-linking agents such as mitomycin C (MMC) and diepoxybutane (DEB), including the induction of chromosomal aberrations and delay in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, have suggested a role for the FA genes in DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. We previously reported the cloning of the FA group C gene (FAC) and the generation of a Fac mouse model. Surprisingly, the Fac −/− mice did not show any of the hematologic defects found in FA patients. To better understand the relationship of FA gene functions to BM failure, we have analyzed the in vivo effect of an FA-specific DNA damaging agent in Fac −/− mice. The mice were found to be highly sensitive to DNA cross-linking agents; acute exposure to MMC produced a marked BM hypoplasia and degeneration of proliferative tissues and caused death within a few days of treatment. However, sequential, nonlethal doses of MMC caused a progressive decrease in all peripheral blood parameters of Fac −/− mice. This treatment targeted specifically the BM compartment, with no effect on other proliferative tissues. The progressive pancytopenia resulted from a reduction in the number of early and committed hematopoietic progenitors. These results indicate that the FA genes are involved in the physiologic response of hematopoietic progenitor cells to DNA damage.

Cytokinesis Failure in Fanconi Anemia Pathway Deficient Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 495-495
Author(s):  
Patrizia Vinciguerra ◽  
Susana Godinho ◽  
Kalindi Parmar ◽  
David Pellman ◽  
Alan D'Andrea
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Cell Biol ◽  
Normal Mitosis

Abstract Abstract 495 Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare recessive chromosomal-instability disorder characterized by congenital malformations, a high predisposition to cancer, and progressive bone marrow failure. FA is genetically heterogeneous and, to date, thirteen FA genes have been identified (FANCA, -B, -C, -D1, -D2, -E, -F, -G, -I, -J, -L, -M, -N). The thirteen encoded FA proteins cooperate in a common DNA repair pathway active during the Synthesis (S) phase of the cell cycle. DNA damage detected during replication results in the monoubiquitination of two FA proteins, FANCD2 and FANCI, that translocate into chromatin-associated DNA repair foci where they colocalize with downstream components of the pathway. Partial colocalization with BLM, the RecQ helicase mutated in Bloom's syndrome, has also been described. How disruption of this pathway leads to bone marrow failure is a critical unanswered question. Interestingly, FA cells also have abnormalities that suggest a defect in mitosis, including micronuclei and multinucleation. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the role of the FA pathway in normal mitosis and 2) determine whether defects in this function underlie the bone marrow failure of FA patients. For this study, we used HeLa cells transiently or stably knocked down for FA genes, FA patient derived cell lines and hematopoietic stem cells from Fanconi mice models generated in our laboratory (Fancd2-/- and Fancg-/-). First, a polyclonal antibody was raised against FANCI and, together with an anti-FANCD2 antibody, used to investigate the localization of the FANCD2-I complex throughout the cell cycle by immunostaining. FANCI and FANCD2 colocalized to discrete foci on condensed chromosomes in a population of cells in Mitosis (M) phase, consistent with results of Chan et al. (Replication stress induces sister-chromatid bridging at fragile site loci in mitosis. Nat Cell Biol. 2009;11:753-760), Naim and Rosselli (The FANC pathway and BLM collaborate during mitosis to prevent micro-nucleation and chromosome abnormalities. Nat Cell Biol. 2009;11:761-768). These foci were dependent on an intact FA pathway, but did not localize at centromeres and did not increase when the spindle assembly checkpoint was challenged. By immunofluorescence, we showed an increase in the presence of Hoechst positive DNA bridges and PICH positive / BLM positive DNA bridges (Hoechst positive and negative) in anaphase and telophase of FA deficient cells compared to FA proficient cells. This increase of DNA bridges between separating sister chromatids in FA deficient cells correlated with an increase of multinucleated cells. Multinuclearity, scored by immunostaining for microtubules and Hoechst staining for DNA, was the result of cytokinesis failure as observed by live cell imaging. Furthermore, inhibition of apoptosis increased the number of binucleated cells, suggesting that cytokinesis failure led to apoptosis. Importantly, an increase in binucleated cells was also observed in the hematopoietic stem cells population from Fancd2-/- and Fancg-/- mice, compared to wild-type sibling mice, and this increase correlated with elevated apoptosis in those cells. Based on these new findings, we conclude that the Fanconi pathway is required for normal mitosis and hypothesize that apoptosis induced by cytokinesis failure of hematopoietic stem cells may cause the bone marrow failure commonly found in FA patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals A Dutch Fanconi AnemiaFANCCFounder Mutation in Canadian Manitoba Mennonites

Anemia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yne de Vries ◽  
Nikki Lwiwski ◽  
Marieke Levitus ◽  
Bertus Kuyt ◽  
Sara J. Israels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Complementation Group ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Founder Mutations ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Dna Instability ◽  
Common Founder ◽  
Complementation Groups

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive DNA instability disorder associated with developmental abnormalities, bone marrow failure, and a predisposition to cancer. Based on their sensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, FA cells have been assigned to 15 complementation groups, and the associated genes have been identified. Founder mutations have been found in different FA genes in several populations. The majority of Dutch FA patients belongs to complementation group FA-C. Here, we report 15 patients of Dutch ancestry and a large Canadian Manitoba Mennonite kindred carrying theFANCCc.67delG mutation. Genealogical investigation into the ancestors of the Dutch patients shows that these ancestors lived in four distinct areas in The Netherlands. We also show that the Dutch and Manitoba MennoniteFANCCc.67delG patients share the same haplotype surrounding this mutation, indicating a common founder.

scholarly journals Fanconi Anemia: A Paradigm for Understanding DNA Repair During Replication.

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. SCI-32-SCI-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Smogorzewska
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Bone Marrow Failure ◽  
Chromosome Breakage ◽  
Dna Lesions ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

Fanconi anemia, the most common hereditary bone marrow failure disorder, results from defective repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), which covalently link complementary DNA strands causing replication stalling. Mutations in 22 different genes (FANCA-FANCW) have been shown to result in Fanconi anemia. Their protein products work at different stages of DNA repair leading to considerable heterogeneity in human phenotypes. The majority of the FANC gene mutations are recessively inherited with the exceptions of FANCB and FANCR/RAD51. FANCB is X-linked, and all FANCR/RAD51 mutations arise de novo, affect only one allele, and the mutant protein acts as a dominant negative against the wild type protein. Despite advances in the molecular diagnosis of Fanconi anemia, if Fanconi anemia is suspected, chromosome breakage (DEB or MMC) testing on patient cells is essential. We have seen a number of patients referred to the International Fanconi Anemia Registry (http://lab.rockefeller.edu/smogorzewska/ifar/) who are misdiagnosed with Fanconi anemia based solely on the presence of a FANC gene variant in gene panel or whole exome sequencing. Conversely, blood mosaicism may lead to a negative blood chromosome breakage test. If there is a high suspicion of Fanconi anemia, but blood breakage results are negative, breakage test on patient fibroblasts should be performed. Diagnosis of Fanconi anemia should also be entertained in young adults presenting with squamous cell carcinoma of the aerodigestive tract, since this may be their initial presentation of Fanconi anemia and conventional chemotherapy dose would precipitate bone marrow failure in these patients. In my talk, I will discuss the mechanism of the Fanconi anemia repair pathway during DNA replication. Then, I will concentrate on the mechanism of bone marrow failure and tumorigenesis in Fanconi anemia. I will explore the hypothesis that the endogenously produced aldehydes including some that are still unknown, contribute to disease development. Fanconi anemia-deficient hematopoietic stem cells have an autonomous DNA repair defect. Accumulation of DNA damage leads to apoptosis due to the activation of p53. If cells escape death, mutagenesis may lead to the development of leukemia. The sources of endogenous DNA damage are poorly understood. Cell cycle induction of Fanconi anemia pathway-deficientmouse hematopoietic stem cells results in DNA damage and bone marrow failure, which implies that the DNA lesions encountered during replication are the culprit. There is mounting evidence that the endogenous aldehydes, including acetaldehyde and formaldehyde,may cause those DNA lesions. To identify other metabolites that may induce bone marrow failure in Fanconi anemia, we used a library of CRISPR guides to target Cas9 to metabolic genes to screen for and identify synthetic lethality with Fanconi anemia deficiency. We have identifiedALDH9A1as the most significantly depleted gene in FANCD2-/- cells. The synthetically lethal interaction was validated using single gene editing in human umbilical cord-derived hematopoietic stem progenitor cells. We propose a model in which aldehydes that are metabolized by ALDH9A1 accumulate in the absence of this enzyme and cause DNA damage that requires the Fanconi anemia pathway proteins for repair, survival, and suppression of tumorigenesis. We are testing this model using Fanca-/-Aldh9a1-/-mice. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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