Radiation-induced apoptosis in scid mice spleen after low dose irradiation

To assess the radioadaptive response of the whole body system in mice, we examined the temporal effect of low dose priming as an indicator of challenging irradiation-induced apoptosis through a p53 tumor suppressor protein- mediated signal transduction pathway. The p53 protein also plays an important role both in cell cycle control and DNA repair through cellular signal transduction. Using severe combined immunodeficiency mice defective in DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, we examined the role of DNA-dependent protein kinase activity in radioadaptation induced by low dose irradiation. Specific pathogen free 5-week-old female severe combined immunodeficiency mice and the parental mice (CB- 17 Icr +/+) were irradiated with X-ray at 3.0 Gy at 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after the conditioning irradiation at 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 or 0.60 Gy. The mice spleens were fixed for immunohistochemistry 12 h after the challenging irradiation. The p53-dependent apoptosis related Bax proteins on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections were stained by the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method. The apoptosis incidence in the sections was measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The frequency of Bax- and apoptosis-positive cells increased up to 12 h after the challenging irradiation in the spleen of both mice. However, these cells were not observed after a low dose irradiation at 0.15-0.60 Gy. When pre-irradiation at 0.45 Gy 2 weeks before the challenging irradiation at 3.0 Gy was performed, Bax accumulation and apoptosis induced by challenging irradiation were depressed in the spleens of CB-17 Icr +/+ mice, but not in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. These data suggest that DNA-dependent protein kinase might play a major role in radioadaptation induced by pre-irradiation with a low dose in mice spleen. We expect that the present findings will provide useful information in the health care of space crews.

[On the mechanisms of radiobiological events in relation to the regulatory role of p53 gene and protein]

The paper analyzes the topical problems of radiobiology in the light of the present-day data on the molecular biology and biochemistry of p53 protein that is an integrator of stress signals from various damaging exposures and that fulfills the function of genome guard by regulating the checking points of a cellular cycle, DNA reparation, and apoptosis. It also considers the mechanisms of radiation cell death and radiosensitivity/radioresistance in the light of data on p53 protein, as well as the problems of searching for antiradiation agents, the radiation-induced instability of genome, the biological aftereffects of small-dose radiation, as well as radiation-induced carcinogenesis due to the important regulatory role of p53 protein. The lines of further studies of the above problems are outlined to refine the understanding of pathogenetic processes in radiation damages, to extend the therapeutic, diagnostic, predictive capacities of clinical radiobiology and radiation medicine.

Mdm-2 binding and TAF(II)31 recruitment is regulated by hydrogen bond disruption between the p53 residues Thr18 and Asp21

Analyses of five wild-type p53 containing cell lines revealed lineage specific differences in phosphorylation of Thr18 after treatment with ionizing (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Importantly, Thr18 phosphorylation correlated with induction of the p53 downstream targets p21(Waf1/Cip1) (p21) and Mdm-2, suggesting a transactivation enhancing role. Thr18 phosphorylation has been shown to abolish side-chain hydrogen bonding between Thr18 and Asp21, an interaction necessary for stabilizing alpha-helical conformation within the transactivation domain. Mutagenesis-derived hydrogen bond disruption attenuated the interaction of p53 with the transactivation repressor Mdm-2 but had no direct effect on the interaction of p53 with the basal transcription factor TAF(II)31. However, prior incubation of p53 mutants with Mdm-2 modulated TAF(II)31 interaction with p53, suggesting Mdm-2 blocks the accessibility of p53 to TAF(II)31. Consistently, p53-null cells transfected with hydrogen bond disrupting p53 mutants demonstrated enhanced endogenous p21 expression, whereas p53/Mdm-2-double null cells exhibited no discernible differences in p21 expression. We conclude disruption of intramolecular hydrogen bonding between Thr18 and Asp21 enhances p53 transactivation by modulating Mdm-2 binding, facilitating TAF(II)31 recruitment.

[Apoptosis of human lung carcinoma cell line GLC-82 induced by high power electromagnetic pulse]

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) could be used for sterilization of food and the efficiency is higher than 2450 MHz continuous microwave done. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on apoptosis of human lung carcinoma cell line GLC-82, so that to explore and develop therapeutic means for cancer.

METHODS

The injury changes in GLC-82 cells after irradiated with EMP (electric field intensity was 60 kV/m, 5 pulses/2 min) were analyzed by cytometry, MTT chronometry, and flow cytometry. The immunohistochemical SP staining was used to determine the expressions of bcl-2 protein and p53 protein. The stained positive cells were analyzed by CMIAS-II image analysis system at a magnification 400. All data were analyzed by SPSS8.0 software.

RESULTS

EMP could obviously inhibited proliferation and activity of lung carcinoma cell line GLC-82. The absorbance value (A570) of MTT decreased immediately, at 0 h, 1 h, and 6 h after the GLC-82 cells irradiated by EMP as compared with control group. The highest apoptosis rate was found to reach 13.38% by flow cytometry at 6 h after EMP irradiation. Down-regulation of bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of p53 expression were induced by EMP.

CONCLUSION

EMP promotes apoptosis of GLC-82 cells. At same time, EMP can down-regulate bcl-2 expression and up-regulate p53 expression in GLC-82 cells. The bcl-2 and the p53 protein may involve the apoptotic process.

X radiation causes a persistent induction of reactive oxygen species and a delayed reinduction of TP53 in normal human diploid fibroblasts

Multiple genetic changes are required for the development of a malignant cell. The frequency of such changes in cancer cells is higher than can be explained through random mutation, and it was proposed that a subpopulation of cells develop a persistent mutator phenotype. Evidence for such a phenotype has been observed in mammalian cells after treatment with ionizing radiation. The mechanism that promotes this effect has not been defined, but proposed explanations include increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in irradiated cells and their progeny. The tumor suppressor TP53 is of prime importance in coordinating the cellular response to damage, and it has been suggested to have a role in regulating the cellular redox state. We investigated the persistence of induced levels of ROS in normal diploid human cells for 1 month after X-ray exposure and the role of TP53 in this oxidant response. X radiation induced an oxidant response that persisted for 2 weeks after exposure in cells with normal TP53 function. ROS levels in cells with abrogated TP53 function were decreased in magnitude and duration. X radiation caused a primary transient induction of TP53 followed by a reinduction of TP53 5 days after irradiation. This reinduction persisted for at least 2 days and coincided with the largest induction of apoptosis. The persistently elevated levels of ROS and delayed reinduction of TP53 reported here are further evidence of the delayed effects of ionizing radiation and add to the growing number of such observations.

Tumor suppressor p53 response is blunted by low-dose radiation

To estimate the effects of space radiation on health of space crews, we aimed to clarify whether g-ray-irradiation at a low-dose-rate interferes in a p53 centered signal transduction pathway induced by radiation in human cultured cells and CB-17 Icr+/+ mice. In vitro experiments, the human cultured squamous cell carcinoma cells (SAS/neo) were examined for cellular levels of p53 and Bax, and the incidence of apoptosis after irradiation at a low-dose-rate (1 mGy/min) or a high-dose-rate (1 Gy/min). It was found that challenging irradiation-induced apoptosis was depressed by chronic irradiation at 1.5 Gy for 25 h with the depression of p53 and Bax accumulation. In vivo experiments, a significant suppression of Bax and apoptosis induced by challenging irradiation at 3.0 Gy was observed when the mice were pre-irradiated chronically at 1.5 Gy for 25 h in the spleen of CB-17 Icr+/+ mice. These findings suggest that chronic pre-irradiation suppressed p53 function through radiation-induced signaling and/or p53 stability.

[Specific features of p53 protein induction after ionizing radiation in cells of patients with Nijmegen breakage syndrome]

Synthesis of p53 and WAF1 (p21) proteins was studied in cells of patients with Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) and of patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT), as well as in normal cells with respect to their response to ionizing radiation (IR). In the NBS cells, the p53 protein was progressively accumulated with increasing radiation dose and reached the maximum 2 h after exposure to radiation at a dose of 5 Gy. The amount of p53 protein was consistently lower than that in normal cells, which was correlated with low content of the WAF1, the protein regulated by p53 at the level of transcription. Suboptimal induction of p53 observed in NBS cells was also characteristic of the AT cells, though the quantitative parameters of the protein synthesis in AT cells were intermediate relative to those in normal and NBS cells. In four NBS lines, the time schedule of p53 synthesis was similar to that observed in normal cells, whereas in AT cells, induction of p53 was significantly delayed as compared to control. In response to irradiation, the amount of p53 protein synthesized in patients with AT and NBS was significantly lower than that in normal cells. The results obtained, as well as the previously published medical and genetic evidence, suggest that the two diseases are of different origin and different genes are responsible for their development.

[Mechanisms of radio-induced apoptosis]

A general overview of the activation mechanisms of programmed cell death or apoptosis following an irradiation is given in this review. First, are summarized the main induction pathways of radiation-induced apoptosis by which extracellular (tumor necrosis factor (TNF), Fas ligand, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)) and intracellular (mitochondria and caspases) signals are integrated. A second part is then devoted to the importance of p53 and of its regulators (ATR, ATM, DNA-PKcs) in the process of radiation-induced apoptosis. Thereafter, signal transduction pathways and more specially the role of some protein kinases (MEKK, SAPK/JNK, p38-MAPK) is treated. At last, a chapter concerns the clinical interest of radiation-induced apoptosis and the implication of apoptosis in the treatment of certain diseases.

Epithelial cell cycling predicts p53 responsiveness to γ-irradiation during post-natal mammary gland development

The tumor suppressor gene, TP53, plays a major role in surveillance and repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. In multiple cell types, including mammary epithelial cells, abrogation of p53 (encoded by Trp53) function is associated with increased tumorigenesis. We examined γ-irradiated BALB/c-Trp53+/+ and -Trp53–/– female mice at five stages of post-natal mammary gland development to determine whether radiation-induced p53 activity is developmentally regulated. Our results show that p53-mediated responses are attenuated in glands from irradiated virgin and lactating mice, as measured by induction of p21/WAF1 (encoded by Cdkn1a) and apoptosis, while irradiated early- and mid-pregnancy glands exhibit robust p53 activity. There is a strong correlation between p53-mediated apoptosis and the degree of cellular proliferation, independent of the level of differentiation. In vivo, proliferation is intimately influenced by steroid hormones. To determine whether steroid hormones directly modulate p53 activity, whole organ cultures of mammary glands were induced to proliferate using estrogen plus progesterone or epidermal growth factor plus transforming growth factor-α and p53 responses to γ-irradiation were measured. Regardless of mitogens used, proliferating mammary epithelial cells show comparable p53 responses to γ-irradiation, including expression of nuclear p53 and p21/WAF1 and increased levels of apoptosis, compared to non-proliferating irradiated control cultures. Our study suggests that differences in radiation-induced p53 activity during post-natal mammary gland development are influenced by the proliferative state of the gland, and may be mediated indirectly by the mitogenic actions of steroid hormones in vivo.

Lymphocytes treated by extracorporeal photopheresis demonstrate a drop in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio: a possible mechanism involved in extracorporeal-photopheresis-induced apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Recently, apoptosis has been identified in treated lymphocytes, prior to their re-infusion, when tested ex vivo. Previous work has demonstrated a close association between the genes p53, Bcl-2 and Bax and apoptosis induced by UV irradiation.

OBJECTIVES

We wanted to establish whether the expression of the protein product of these genes was altered in lymphocytes treated with extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) prior to re-infusion and therefore possibly implicated in the early apoptosis observed.

METHOD

Lymphocytes were isolated immediately before treatment and immediately prior to re-infusion and tested for intracellular levels of p53, Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.

RESULTS

No increase in p53 expression was observed at re-infusion; however, the mean fluorescent intensity ratio of the apoptotic inhibitor protein Bcl-2 to the apoptosis-inducing protein Bax dropped significantly.

CONCLUSION

The early apoptosis observed in ECP-treated lymphocytes at re-infusion might be attributed to dysregulation in the expression of the apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Bax.

Roles of DNA-dependent protein kinase and ATM in cell-cycle-dependent radiation sensitivity in human cells

PURPOSE

The roles of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) and ATM in the cell-cycle-dependent radiosensitivity in human cells were investigated.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A DNA-PK activity-deficient human glioblastoma cell line M059J, ataxia telangiectasia cell lines AT3BISV and AT5BIVA, and control cell lines were used. Wortmannin inhibited DNA-PK and ATM activities. Cells were synchronized by hydroxyurea. Progression through the cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

M059J exhibited hyper-radiosensitivity throughout the cell cycle, with extreme hyper-radiosensitivity in G to early S-phase compared with the control cell line M059K. AT3BISV and AT5BIVA exhibited hyper-radiosensitivity throughout the cell cycle but showed a similar pattern of cell-cycle-dependent radiosensitivity to that observed in LM217 or HeLa cells. In AT3BISV and AT5BIVA, radiosensitization by wortmannin was observed throughout the cell cycle and was most prominent in G1 to early S-phase. Wortmannin did not sensitize M059J to ionizing radiation in any cell-cycle phase. DNA-PK activities were not different throughout the cell cycle.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that (1) non-homologous endjoining plays a dominant role in G1 to early S-phase and a minor role in late S to G2-phase in repairing DNA double-strand breaks, (2) the role of ATM in repairing double-strand breaks may be almost cell-cycle-independent and (3) the dominant role of non-homologous end-joining during G1 to early S-phase is not due to cell-cycle-dependent fluctuations in DNA-PK activity.

Analysis of p53-dependent mechanisms in the maintenance of genetic stability in diploid tumourigenic line SK-UT-1B of human uterine leiomyosarcoma

The cells of tumourigenic line SK-UT-1B combine features characteristic both of normal (diploid karyotype, a low level of polyploid cells, absence of chromosomal marker) and tumour cells (high level of chromosomal instability, high malignancy). We suggest that maintenance of diploid karyotype in this line is controlled via the p53/p21 pathway. We demonstrate that the amount of p53 increases following gamma-irradiation and accumulated p53 protein seems to be functional as p53-luc and p21/Waf-luc reporter plasmids were found to be activated. However, gamma-irradiation-induced increase of p53 was not accompanied by increase of p21/Waf on the protein level. Apparently this is one of the reasons for G1/S and G2/M checkpoint control disruption. The absence of these checkpoints could not prevent the proliferation of cells with intrachromosomal rearrangements. The only effective checkpoint in SK-UT-1B is the p53-dependent M checkpoint, which directed the cells with changed chromosome numbers to apoptosis and therefore strictly guarded the diploidy of the cell population. This indicates that p53 can control the preservation of genetic stability at different levels via different pathways.

Mutations of the p53 and PTCH gene in basal cell carcinomas: UV mutation signature and strand bias

Mutations of p53 and PTCH gene, two candidate tumor suppressor genes for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), were screened in 15 cases of sporadic BCCs that developed in sun-exposed skin region in a Korean population. p53 and PTCH mutations were detected at a frequency of 33 and 40%, respectively, and the mutations were predominantly UV-signature transition, C-->T transitions at dipyrimidine sites and CC-->TT tandem mutations. In both genes, the most common mutations were missense mutations resulting in amino acid substitution, which is different than the results from Caucasian BCCs where mutations are frequently predicted to make truncated or absent proteins. All mutations, except for one, occurred on the nontranscribed strand where is little efficient removal of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers relative to the transcribed strand. Loss of heterozygocity (LOH) of 9q22 for PTCH loci was found in eight of 15 informative cases of BCCs (53%), but none of the cases were informative for LOH of 17p13 for p53 loci. Not only do our data indicate the key role played by p53 and PTCH in the development of BCCs, these findings also suggest that UVB may significantly contribute to BCC tumorigenesis. Moreover, molecular epidemiology composed of incidence of p53 and PTCH mutations, difference in the type of mutation and repair bias of UV-induced DNA lesions might affect the distinct features of BCCs between different racial population.

ATM mediates phosphorylation at multiple p53 sites, including Ser(46), in response to ionizing radiation

The p53 tumor suppressor protein preserves genome integrity by regulating growth arrest and apoptosis in response to DNA damage. In response to ionizing radiation (IR), ATM, the gene product mutated in ataxia telangiectasia, stabilizes and activates p53 through phosphorylation of Ser(15) and (indirectly) Ser(20). Here we show that phosphorylation of p53 on Ser(46), a residue important for p53 apoptotic activity, as well as on Ser(9), in response to IR also is dependent on the ATM protein kinase. IR-induced phosphorylation at Ser(46) was inhibited by wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, but not PD169316, a p38 MAPK inhibitor. p53 C-terminal acetylation at Lys(320) and Lys(382), which may stabilize p53 and activate sequence-specific DNA binding, required Ser(15) phosphorylation by ATM and was enhanced by phosphorylation at nearby residues including Ser(6), Ser(9), and Thr(18). These observations, together with the proposed role of Ser(46) phosphorylation in mediating apoptosis, suggest that ATM is involved in the initiation of p53-dependent apoptosis after IR in human lymphoblastoid cells.

Inducible expression of the regulatory protein kinase CK2beta subunit: incorporation into complexes with catalytic CK2 subunits and re-examination of the effects of CK2beta on cell proliferation

The regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2, designated CK2beta, exists both free in cells and in complexes with the CK2 catalytic subunits. Growing evidence suggests that CK2beta has functions dependent and independent of the CK2 catalytic subunits. There have been indications that CK2beta has functions associated with DNA damage responses and in the control of cell proliferation. For example, transient and stable constitutive overexpression of CK2beta in mammalian cells was previously shown to perturb cell cycle progression and to attenuate proliferation. To systematically investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects of CK2beta on cell proliferation, we generated human osteosarcoma U2OS cell lines with tetracycline-regulated expression of CK2beta. Increased expression of CK2beta results in increases in total cellular CK2 activity, but no changes in cell cycle profiles or proliferation. Furthermore, following exposure to ultraviolet radiation, p53 induction was identical regardless of the levels of CK2beta in cells. Mouse 3T3-L1 cells stably transfected with CK2beta also showed no alterations in cell proliferation. The differences between these results and those previously reported emphasize the complex nature of CK2beta and its cellular functions. Furthermore, these results indicate that increased expression of CK2beta is not by itself sufficient to effect alterations in cell proliferation.

p53 expression in human rectal tissue after radiotherapy: upregulation in normal mucosa versus functional loss in rectal carcinomas

PURPOSE

In vitro, ionizing radiation of epithelial cells leads to upregulation of wild-type p53 and subsequent induction of p21(waf1). The effect of radiotherapy (RT) on the expression of these proteins in patients is unknown. We assessed the influence of RT on the expression of p53 and p21(waf1) in normal mucosa and rectal carcinomas in vivo.

METHODS

Tumor and normal tissue samples were derived from rectal cancer patients randomized in a clinical trial in which the value of preoperative RT was evaluated. p53 and p21(waf1) expression was determined in 51 irradiated and 52 nonirradiated patients using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

In normal mucosa, both p53 and p21(waf1) were strongly upregulated after RT compared with the expression in unirradiated normal tissue (p <0.001). In tumor cells, no significant difference in the expression of p53 or p21(waf1) was found in the irradiated vs. nonirradiated group. In the few rectal tumors with wild-type p53, induction of p53 after RT did not necessarily lead to upregulation of p21(waf1).

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that in normal mucosa, a functional p53-p21(waf1) pathway is present, whereas in tumor cells it is defective in almost all cases because of either p53 mutation or down- or upstream disruption in tumors with wild-type p53. Therefore, we believe that the role of p53 expression as a single prognostic marker in rectal cancer needs reconsideration.

Differential post-transcriptional regulation of p21WAF1/Cip1 levels in the developing nervous system following gamma-irradiation

Radiation-induced death in the developing brain is p53-dependent. However, genetic studies indicate that the signalling pathways that couple irradiation to p53 expression can vary between different developing neural populations [Herzog et al. (1998) Science, 280, 1089-1091]. Here we establish that signalling downstream of p53 also exhibits brain region-specific differences that are associated with the relative vulnerability of some cell populations to radiation-induced killing in the mouse. Following gamma-irradiation, p53 and p21WAF1/cip1, but not Bax, protein levels increased in the developing cerebellum. In contrast, neither p21WAF1/cip1 nor Bax protein levels were elevated in the retina following irradiation, despite increased p53 expression. In the retina, p53 expression was associated with cells destined to die, whereas in the cerebellum, p53 was expressed in both radiation-sensitive and radiation-resistant neuroblasts of the external granule cell layer. Although p21WAF1/cip1 mRNA was expressed in all p53-positive neuroblasts after irradiation, p21WAF1/cip1 protein was only detected in radiation-resistant neuroblasts of the cerebellum. Thus, p21WAF1/cip1 was subject to post-transcriptional regulation with p21WAF1/cip1 protein only accumulating in cells destined to survive irradiation. Nevertheless, p21WAF1/cip1 function was not essential for radiation resistance, as postmitotic neuroblasts in the external granule cell layer were spared in p21WAF1/cip1 knockout mice.

Relative biological effectiveness of light ions in human tumoural cell lines: role of protein p53

Protons and alpha particles of high linear energy transfer (LET) have shown an increased relative biological effectiveness (RBE) with respect to X/gamma rays for several cellular and molecular endpoints in different in vitro cell systems. To contribute to understanding the biochemical mechanisms involved in the increased effectiveness of high LET radiation, an extensive study has been designed. The present work reports the preliminary result of this study on two human tumoural cell lines, DLD1 and HCT116, (with different p53 status), which indicate that for these cell lines, p53 does not appear to take a part in the response to radiation induced DNA damage, suggesting an alternative p53-independent pathway and a cell biochemical mechanism dependent on the cell type.

Computational model of the modulation of gene expression following DNA damage

High linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, such as heavy ions or neutrons, has an increased biological effectiveness compared to X rays for gene mutation, genomic instability, and carcinogenesis. In the traditional paradigm, mutations or chromosomal aberrations are causative of late effects. However, in recent years experimental evidence has demonstrated the important role of the description of the modification of gene expression by radiation in understanding the mechanisms of radiation action. In this report, approaches are discussed to the mathematical description of mRNA and protein expression kinetics following DNA damage. Several hypotheses for models of radiation modulation of protein expression are discussed including possible non-linear processes that evolve from the linear dose responses that follow the initial DNA damage produced by radiation.

[Transfection with the E1A and E1B-19kDa oncogenes does not prevent rat embryo fibroblasts from cell cycle arrest after gamma-radiation]

Introduction of the E1A early region of the human adenovirus type 5 impairs the ability of mammalian cells to arrest the cell cycle at G1/S after damage. Two-parameter fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) with iododeoxyuridine revealed the radiation-induced G1/S arrest in rat embryo fibroblasts transformed with the complementing E1A + E1B-19 kDa oncogenes. This was due to selective inhibition of CycIE/Cdk2-associated kinase activity, while activities of type 2 kinase and of CyclA/Cdk2 complexes remained unchanged. The inhibitor of G1-phase cyclin kinases, p21/Waf1, was accumulated and interacted with target kinases both in normal and in transformed cells after irradiation. As shown by immunoprecipitation, p21/Waf1 formed complexes with the E1A on coproducts in the transformants, which possibly accounted for its functional inactivation. Kinase modification in cyclin-kinase complexes was assumed to play a key role in regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases in the transformants with inactivated p21/Waf1.

Biological effects of space radiation

To determine the effects of space radiation on human health for long-term stays in space, we performed 21 space experiments on radiation biology. Two main characteristics of space are microgravity and space radiation that consists of low dose, chronic exposure at low dose-rates, and heavy particles. Through space experiments, we demonstrated the formation of DNA strand breaks, induced mutations, abnormal cell differentiation and the inducible gene expression of a tumor suppressor gene product, p53, in various kinds of organisms. In addition, we investigated the influence of microgravity on radiation-induced biological effects in in vitro biochemical reaction systems and in vivo cell culture systems of bacteria and lower eukaryotes. We review here the importance of radiation biology studies on space radiation from the viewpoints of human health and biological evolution, from the beginning of life until today, in the context of environmental genotoxic radiation.

Defects in transcription coupled repair interfere with expression of p90(MDM2) in response to ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation transiently stabilizes p53 through a mechanism that may require a decrease in the activity of the ubiquitin ligase, p90(MDM2). Conversely, the recovery of low levels of p53 following UV exposure may depend on an increase in p90(MDM2). The level of p90(MDM2) is increased by UV light following the p53-dependent induction of an internal mdm2 promoter, P2. If this induction of mdm2 were critical for the recovery of low levels of p53 following UV exposure, defects in mdm2's transcription would result in a prolonged increase in p53. Cells defective in transcription coupled repair (TCR) maintain high levels of p53 for a prolonged period following UV exposure. Such cells also have defects in general transcription after UV irradiation. We investigated whether TCR-deficient cells express diminished levels of mdm2 mRNA and p90(MDM2) following UV exposure. We found that transcription of mdm2 was reduced in TCR-deficient cells. The uninducible mdm2 promoter, P1, was more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of UV irradiation than the P2 promoter. The decrease in transcription from the P1 promoter was sufficient to reduce the level of p90(MDM2) and correlated with a prolonged increase in p53. Thus, p53-independent transcription of mdm2 appears critical to p53's regulation.

Involvement of the MAP kinase pathways in induction of GADD45 following UV radiation

The p53-regulated stress-inducible gene GADD45 has been shown to participate in cellular response to DNA damage, including cell cycle checkpoint, apoptosis, and DNA repair. However, the regulation of GADD45 expression is complex and may involve both p53-dependent and -independent pathways. Recent findings have demonstrated that the p53-independent induction of GADD45 is mainly regulated by the transcription factors Oct-1 and NF-YA, which directly bind to their consensus motifs located at the GADD45 promoter region. Here, we report that mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are involved in the induction of the GADD45 promoter after DNA damage. Inhibition of JNK1 and ERK kinase activities either by expression of the dominant negative mutant JNK1 or by treatment with a selective chemical inhibitor of ERK (PD098059) substantially abrogates the UV induction of the GADD45 promoter. In contrast, a p38 kinase inhibitor (SB203580) has little effect on GADD45 induction by UV. In addition, the GADD45 promoter is strongly activated following expression of JNK1; Raf-1, which is an upstream activator of the ERK pathway; or MEK1, an upstream activator of both the ERK and the JNK pathways. Activation of the GADD45 promoter by MAP kinases does not require normal p53 function. Interestingly, the MAP kinase-regulatory effect appears to be mediated via OCT-1 and CAAT motifs since disruption of these sites abrogates activation of the GADD45 promoter by MAP kinases. Therefore, these findings indicate that the MAP kinase pathways are involved in the regulation of the p53-independent induction of the GADD45 promoter, probably via interaction with transcription factors that directly bind to OCT-1 and CAAT motifs.

p53 dysfunction in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: inactivation of ATM as an alternative to TP53 mutation

The well-established association between TP53 mutations and adverse clinical outcome in a range of human cancers reflects the importance of p53 protein in regulating tumor-cell growth and survival. Although it is theoretically possible for p53 dysfunction to arise through mechanisms that do not involve TP53 mutation, such a phenomenon has not previously been demonstrated in a sporadic tumor. Here, we show that p53 dysfunction in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can occur in the absence of TP53 mutation and that such dysfunction is associated with mutation of the gene encoding ATM, a kinase implicated in p53 activation. Forty-three patients with CLL were examined for p53 dysfunction, as detected by impaired up-regulation of p53 and of the p53-dependent protein p21(CIP1/WAF1) after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). Thirty (70%) patients had normal p53 responses and underwent progressive IR-induced apoptosis. In 13 (30%) patients, p21 up-regulation was markedly impaired, indicating p53 dysfunction. Six (14%) of these patients with p53 dysfunction had increased baseline levels of p53, were found to have TP53 mutations, and were completely resistant to IR-induced apoptosis. In the other 7 (16%) patients with p53 dysfunction, IR-induced p53 up-regulation and apoptosis were markedly impaired, but baseline levels of p53 were not increased, and no TP53 mutations were detected. Each of these patients was found to have at least one ATM mutation, and a variable reduction in ATM protein was detected in all 4 patients examined. This is the first study to provide a direct demonstration that p53 dysfunction can arise in a sporadic tumor by a mechanism that does not involve TP53 mutation. (Blood. 2001;98:814-822)