DNA Damage and Repair Deficiency in ALS/FTD-Associated Neurodegeneration: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Implication

Emerging studies reveal that neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), are commonly linked to DNA damage accumulation and repair deficiency. Neurons are particularly vulnerable to DNA damage due to their high metabolic activity, relying primarily on oxidative phosphorylation, which leads to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and subsequent DNA damage. Efficient and timely repair of such damage is critical for guarding the integrity of genomic DNA and for cell survival. Several genes predominantly associated with RNA/DNA metabolism have been implicated in both ALS and FTD, suggesting that the two diseases share a common underlying pathology with varied clinical manifestations. Recent studies reveal that many of the gene products, including RNA/DNA binding proteins (RBPs) TDP-43 and FUS are involved in diverse DNA repair pathways. A key question in the etiology of the ALS/FTD spectrum of neurodegeneration is the mechanisms and pathways involved in genome instability caused by dysfunctions/mutations of those RBP genes and their consequences in the central nervous system. The understanding of such converging molecular mechanisms provides insights into the underlying etiology of the rapidly progressing neurodegeneration in ALS/FTD, while also revealing novel DNA repair target avenues for therapeutic development. In this review, we summarize the common mechanisms of neurodegeneration in ALS and FTD, with a particular emphasis on the DNA repair defects induced by ALS/FTD causative genes. We also highlight the consequences of DNA repair defects in ALS/FTD and the therapeutic potential of DNA damage repair-targeted amelioration of neurodegeneration.

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NAD+ supplementation normalizes key Alzheimer’s features and DNA damage responses in a new AD mouse model with introduced DNA repair deficiency

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1718819115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (8) ◽

pp. E1876-E1885 ◽

Cited By ~ 116

Author(s):

Yujun Hou ◽

Sofie Lautrup ◽

Stephanie Cordonnier ◽

Yue Wang ◽

Deborah L. Croteau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Hippocampal Neurons ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Neuronal Degeneration ◽

Amyloid Β ◽

Synaptic Dysfunction ◽

Amyloid Β Peptide ◽

Repair Deficiency ◽

Dna Repair Deficiency

Emerging findings suggest that compromised cellular bioenergetics and DNA repair contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but their role in disease-defining pathology is unclear. We developed a DNA repair-deficient 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mouse that exacerbates major features of human AD including phosphorylated Tau (pTau) pathologies, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death, and cognitive impairment. Here we report that 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mice have a reduced cerebral NAD+/NADH ratio indicating impaired cerebral energy metabolism, which is normalized by nicotinamide riboside (NR) treatment. NR lessened pTau pathology in both 3xTgAD and 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mice but had no impact on amyloid β peptide (Aβ) accumulation. NR-treated 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mice exhibited reduced DNA damage, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons and increased activity of SIRT3 in the brain. NR improved cognitive function in multiple behavioral tests and restored hippocampal synaptic plasticity in 3xTgAD mice and 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mice. In general, the deficits between genotypes and the benefits of NR were greater in 3xTgAD/Polβ+/− mice than in 3xTgAD mice. Our findings suggest a pivotal role for cellular NAD+ depletion upstream of neuroinflammation, pTau, DNA damage, synaptic dysfunction, and neuronal degeneration in AD. Interventions that bolster neuronal NAD+ levels therefore have therapeutic potential for AD.

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A Link between Replicative Stress, Lamin Proteins, and Inflammation

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12040552 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 552

Author(s):

Simon Willaume ◽

Emilie Rass ◽

Paula Fontanilla-Ramirez ◽

Angela Moussa ◽

Paul Wanschoor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Genome Instability ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Dna Lesions ◽

Inflammatory Factors ◽

Replicative Stress ◽

Damage Repair ◽

Beneficial Response

Double-stranded breaks (DSB), the most toxic DNA lesions, are either a consequence of cellular metabolism, programmed as in during V(D)J recombination, or induced by anti-tumoral therapies or accidental genotoxic exposure. One origin of DSB sources is replicative stress, a major source of genome instability, especially when the integrity of the replication forks is not properly guaranteed. To complete stalled replication, restarting the fork requires complex molecular mechanisms, such as protection, remodeling, and processing. Recently, a link has been made between DNA damage accumulation and inflammation. Indeed, defects in DNA repair or in replication can lead to the release of DNA fragments in the cytosol. The recognition of this self-DNA by DNA sensors leads to the production of inflammatory factors. This beneficial response activating an innate immune response and destruction of cells bearing DNA damage may be considered as a novel part of DNA damage response. However, upon accumulation of DNA damage, a chronic inflammatory cellular microenvironment may lead to inflammatory pathologies, aging, and progression of tumor cells. Progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of DNA damage repair, replication stress, and cytosolic DNA production would allow to propose new therapeutical strategies against cancer or inflammatory diseases associated with aging. In this review, we describe the mechanisms involved in DSB repair, the replicative stress management, and its consequences. We also focus on new emerging links between key components of the nuclear envelope, the lamins, and DNA repair, management of replicative stress, and inflammation.

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Mutational signatures are jointly shaped by DNA damage and repair

10.1101/686295 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nadezda V Volkova ◽

Bettina Meier ◽

Víctor González-Huici ◽

Simone Bertolini ◽

Santiago Gonzalez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Excision Repair ◽

Dna Lesions ◽

Single Nucleotide Variants ◽

Mutational Signatures ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Repair Deficiency ◽

Dna Repair Deficiency ◽

Mutation Spectra

AbstractMutations arise when DNA lesions escape DNA repair. To delineate the contributions of DNA damage and DNA repair deficiency to mutagenesis we sequenced 2,717 genomes of wild-type and 53 DNA repair defective C. elegans strains propagated through several generations or exposed to 11 genotoxins at multiple doses. Combining genotoxin exposure and DNA repair deficiency alters mutation rates or leads to unexpected mutation spectra in nearly 40% of all experimental conditions involving 9/11 of genotoxins tested and 32/53 genotypes. For 8/11 genotoxins, signatures change in response to more than one DNA repair deficiency, indicating that multiple genes and pathways are involved in repairing DNA lesions induced by one genotoxin. For many genotoxins, the majority of observed single nucleotide variants results from error-prone translesion synthesis, rather than primary mutagenicity of altered nucleotides. Nucleotide excision repair mends the vast majority of genotoxic lesions, preventing up to 99% of mutations. Analogous mutagenic DNA damage-repair interactions can also be found in cancers, but, except for rare cases, effects are weak owing to the unknown histories of genotoxic exposures and DNA repair status. Overall, our data underscore that mutation spectra are joint products of DNA damage and DNA repair and imply that mutational signatures computationally derived from cancer genomes are more variable than currently anticipated.

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Immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity of DNA repair deficient tumors

Immunotherapy ◽

10.2217/imt-2021-0024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 1205-1213

Author(s):

Pauline Rochefort ◽

Françoise Desseigne ◽

Valérie Bonadona ◽

Sophie Dussart ◽

Clélia Coutzac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Immune Checkpoint ◽

Genome Stability ◽

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor ◽

Checkpoint Inhibitor ◽

Excision Repair ◽

Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽

Repair Deficiency ◽

Dna Repair Deficiency

Faithful DNA replication is necessary to maintain genome stability and implicates a complex network with several pathways depending on DNA damage type: homologous repair, nonhomologous end joining, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair and mismatch repair. Alteration in components of DNA repair machinery led to DNA damage accumulation and potentially carcinogenesis. Preclinical data suggest sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumors with DNA repair deficiency. Here, we review clinical studies that explored the use of immune checkpoint inhibitor in patient harboring tumor with DNA repair deficiency.

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Advances and perspectives of PARP inhibitors

Experimental Hematology and Oncology ◽

10.1186/s40164-019-0154-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Ming Yi ◽

Bing Dong ◽

Shuang Qin ◽

Qian Chu ◽

Kongming Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Genome Instability ◽

Single Gene ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Lethal Effect ◽

Single Strand Break ◽

Synthetic Lethal ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract DNA damage repair deficiency leads to the increased risk of genome instability and oncogenic transformation. In the meanwhile, this deficiency could be exploited for cancer treatment by inducing excessive genome instability and catastrophic DNA damage. Continuous DNA replication in cancer cells leads to higher demand of DNA repair components. Due to the oncogenic loss of some DNA repair effectors (e.g. BRCA) and incomplete DNA repair repertoire, some cancer cells are addicted to certain DNA repair pathways such as Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-related single-strand break repair pathway. The interaction between BRCA and PARP is a form of synthetic lethal effect which means the simultaneously functional loss of two genes lead to cell death, while defect in any single gene has a slight effect on cell viability. Based on synthetic lethal theory, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) was developed aiming to selectively target cancer cells harboring BRCA1/2 mutations. Recently, a growing body of evidence indicated that a broader population of patients could benefit from PARPi therapy far beyond those with germline BRCA1/2 mutated tumors. Numerous biomarkers including homologous recombination deficiency and high level of replication pressure also herald high sensitivity to PARPi treatment. Besides, a series of studies indicated that PARPi-involved combination therapy such as PARPi with additional chemotherapy therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor, as well as targeted agent had a great advantage in overcoming PARPi resistance and enhancing PARPi efficacy. In this review, we summarized the advances of PARPi in clinical application. Besides, we highlighted multiple promising PARPi-based combination strategies in preclinical and clinical studies.

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Variability in DNA repair and individual susceptibility to genotoxins

Clinical Chemistry ◽

10.1093/clinchem/41.12.1848 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 41 (12) ◽

pp. 1848-1853 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

S A Kyrtopoulos

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Protective Role ◽

Interindividual Variation ◽

Human Populations ◽

Cytostatic Drugs ◽

Dna Damage And Repair ◽

Cellular Protection ◽

Methylated Dna ◽

Methylating Agents

Abstract DNA repair is an important mechanism of cellular protection from the effects of genotoxic chemicals. Although extensive evidence from studies in experimental systems indicates that variation in DNA repair can significantly influence susceptibility to genotoxins, corresponding studies in human populations are so far limited, mainly because of methodological difficulties. One system, using observations of the accumulation and repair of DNA damage in cancer patients treated with alkylating cytostatic drugs, has provided useful information for assessing the effects of interindividual variation in DNA repair activity on the induction of genotoxic effects in humans. The most detailed studies of this kind have been carried out on patients with cancer (i.e., Hodgkin disease, malignant melanoma) treated with the methylating cytostatic drugs procarbazine or dacarbazine; these studies have provided detailed information on dose-response relationships. They have also demonstrated the protective role of the repair enzyme O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase against the accumulation of the premutagenic methylated DNA lesion O6-methylguanine in patients' DNA. Given the strong evidence that exposure of the general population to environmental methylating agents may be extensive, as indicated by the frequent discovery of methylated DNA adducts in human DNA, data on DNA damage and repair in alkylating drug-treated patients and their modulation by host factors may prove useful in efforts to assess the possible carcinogenic risks posed by exposure to environmental methylating agents.

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Mutational signatures are jointly shaped by DNA damage and repair

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-020-15912-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Nadezda V. Volkova ◽

Bettina Meier ◽

Víctor González-Huici ◽

Simone Bertolini ◽

Santiago Gonzalez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Excision Repair ◽

Point Mutations ◽

Mutational Signatures ◽

Dna Damage And Repair ◽

C Elegans ◽

Dna Repair Deficiency ◽

Dna Alterations ◽

Repair Pathways

AbstractCells possess an armamentarium of DNA repair pathways to counter DNA damage and prevent mutation. Here we use C. elegans whole genome sequencing to systematically quantify the contributions of these factors to mutational signatures. We analyse 2,717 genomes from wild-type and 53 DNA repair defective backgrounds, exposed to 11 genotoxins, including UV-B and ionizing radiation, alkylating compounds, aristolochic acid, aflatoxin B1, and cisplatin. Combined genotoxic exposure and DNA repair deficiency alters mutation rates or signatures in 41% of experiments, revealing how different DNA alterations induced by the same genotoxin are mended by separate repair pathways. Error-prone translesion synthesis causes the majority of genotoxin-induced base substitutions, but averts larger deletions. Nucleotide excision repair prevents up to 99% of point mutations, almost uniformly across the mutation spectrum. Our data show that mutational signatures are joint products of DNA damage and repair and suggest that multiple factors underlie signatures observed in cancer genomes.

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DNA Repair Biosensor-Identified DNA Damage Activities of Endophyte Extracts from Garcinia cowa

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom10121680 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1680

Author(s):

Tassanee Lerksuthirat ◽

Rakkreat Wikiniyadhanee ◽

Sermsiri Chitphuk ◽

Wasana Stitchantrakul ◽

Somponnat Sampattavanich ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Dna Repair ◽

Fluorescent Proteins ◽

Strand Break ◽

Control Group ◽

Focus Formation ◽

Dna Damage And Repair ◽

Biological Compounds ◽

Repair Pathways ◽

Garcinia Cowa

Recent developments in chemotherapy focus on target-specific mechanisms, which occur only in cancer cells and minimize the effects on normal cells. DNA damage and repair pathways are a promising target in the treatment of cancer. In order to identify novel compounds targeting DNA repair pathways, two key proteins, 53BP1 and RAD54L, were tagged with fluorescent proteins as indicators for two major double strand break (DSB) repair pathways: non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). The engineered biosensor cells exhibited the same DNA repair properties as the wild type. The biosensor cells were further used to investigate the DNA repair activities of natural biological compounds. An extract from Phyllosticta sp., the endophyte isolated from the medicinal plant Garcinia cowa Roxb. ex Choisy, was tested. The results showed that the crude extract induced DSB, as demonstrated by the increase in the DNA DSB marker γH2AX. The damaged DNA appeared to be repaired through NHEJ, as the 53BP1 focus formation in the treated fraction was higher than in the control group. In conclusion, DNA repair-based biosensors are useful for the preliminary screening of crude extracts and biological compounds for the identification of potential targeted therapeutic drugs.

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