ATM, DNA-PKcs and ATR: shaping development through the regulation of the DNA damage responses

p14ARF interacts with γ-H2AX and is involved in the DNA damage response

p14ARF(ARF) is a tumor suppressor and functionally related to p53. Emerging evidences suggest that ARF triggers DNA damage in a p53-independent manner. However, it remains to be determined how ARF is involved in DNA damage response. Here, we report that ARF is critical in regulating the formation of DNA damage induced γ-H2AX foci. ARF binds to H2AX through its N-terminal domains to promote the phosphorylation of H2AX. The localization of ARF to the site of DNA breaks facilitates the formation of γ-H2AX foci in response to DNA damage. The knocking down of ARF significantly reduced γ-H2AX production and the number of γ-H2AX foci, leading to increased sensitivity to doxorubicin-induced cell death. Together, we propose that ARF plays a crucial role in DNA damage response through its association with H2AX and regulating γ-H2AX formation.

Unveiling Novel Targets in Lung Tumors for Enhanced Radiotherapy Efficacy: A Comprehensive Review

Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of lung cancer management, though its efficacy is frequently undermined by intrinsic and acquired radioresistance. This review examines the complexity of lung tumors, highlighting their potential as a reservoir of novel targets for radiosensitization. Ionizing radiation (IR) primarily exerts its effects through oxidative damage and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Lung cancer cells, however, develop mutations that enhance DNA damage response (DDR) and suppress cell death pathways. Additionally, interactions between tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) components-including immune cells, stromal cells, and molecular mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors-contribute to resistance against IR. Understanding these intricate relationships reveals potential targets to improve radiotherapy outcomes. Promising targets include DDR pathways, immunosuppressive cells and molecules, hypoxia, proangiogenic mediators, and other key signaling pathways. This review discusses emerging strategies, such as combining radiotherapy with immunomodulators, hypoxia and proangiogenic inhibitors, DDR-targeting agents, and other innovative approaches. By offering a comprehensive analysis of the lung TME, this review underscores opportunities to enhance radiotherapy effectiveness through targeted radiosensitization strategies.

A framework for individualized splice-switching oligonucleotide therapy

Splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) could be used to treat a subset of individuals with genetic diseases1, but the systematic identification of such individuals remains a challenge. Here we performed whole-genome sequencing analyses to characterize genetic variation in 235 individuals (from 209 families) with ataxia-telangiectasia, a severely debilitating and life-threatening recessive genetic disorder2,3, yielding a complete molecular diagnosis in almost all individuals. We developed a predictive taxonomy to assess the amenability of each individual to splice-switching ASO intervention; 9% and 6% of the individuals had variants that were 'probably' or 'possibly' amenable to ASO splice modulation, respectively. Most amenable variants were in deep intronic regions that are inaccessible to exon-targeted sequencing. We developed ASOs that successfully rescued mis-splicing and ATM cellular signalling in patient fibroblasts for two recurrent variants. In a pilot clinical study, one of these ASOs was used to treat a child who had been diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia soon after birth, and showed good tolerability without serious adverse events for three years. Our study provides a framework for the prospective identification of individuals with genetic diseases who might benefit from a therapeutic approach involving splice-switching ASOs.

Role of Paralogue of XRCC4 and XLF in DNA Damage Repair and Cancer Development

Non-homologous end joining (cNHEJ) is a major pathway to repair double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA. Several core cNHEJ are involved in the progress of the repair such as KU70 and 80, DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), Artemis, X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 4 (XRCC4), DNA ligase IV, and XRCC4-like factor (XLF). Recent studies have added a number of new proteins during cNHEJ. One of the newly identified proteins is Paralogue of XRCC4 and XLF (PAXX), which acts as a scaffold that is required to stabilize the KU70/80 heterodimer at DSBs sites and promotes the assembly and/or stability of the cNHEJ machinery. PAXX plays an essential role in lymphocyte development in XLF-deficient background, while XLF/PAXX double-deficient mouse embryo died before birth. Emerging evidence also shows a connection between the expression levels of PAXX and cancer development in human patients, indicating a prognosis role of the protein. This review will summarize and discuss the function of PAXX in DSBs repair and its potential role in cancer development.

SETD2-mediated H3K14 trimethylation promotes ATR activation and stalled replication fork restart in response to DNA replication stress

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) activation after replication stress involves a cascade of reactions, including replication protein A (RPA) complex loading onto single-stranded DNA and ATR activator loading onto chromatin. The contribution of histone modifications to ATR activation, however, is unclear. Here, we report that H3K14 trimethylation responds to replication stress by enhancing ATR activation. First, we confirmed that H3K14 monomethylation, dimethylation, and trimethylation all exist in mammalian cells, and that both SUV39H1 and SETD2 methyltransferases can catalyze H3K14 trimethylation in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, SETD2-mediated H3K14 trimethylation markedly increases in response to replication stress induced with hydroxyurea, a replication stress inducer. Under these conditions, SETD2-mediated H3K14me3 recruited the RPA complex to chromatin via a direct interaction with RPA70. The increase in H3K14me3 levels was abolished, and RPA loading was attenuated when SETD2 was depleted or H3K14 was mutated. Rather, the cells were sensitive to replication stress such that the replication forks failed to restart, and cell-cycle progression was delayed. These findings help us understand how H3K14 trimethylation links replication stress with ATR activation.

Phosphoproteomics reveals novel modes of function and inter-relationships among PIKKs in response to genotoxic stress

The DNA damage response (DDR) is a complex signaling network that relies on cascades of protein phosphorylation, which are initiated by three protein kinases of the family of PI3-kinase-related protein kinases (PIKKs): ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK. ATM is missing or inactivated in the genome instability syndrome, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). The relative shares of these PIKKs in the response to genotoxic stress and the functional relationships among them are central questions in the genome stability field. We conducted a comprehensive phosphoproteomic analysis in human wild-type and A-T cells treated with the double-strand break-inducing chemical, neocarzinostatin, and validated the results with the targeted proteomic technique, selected reaction monitoring. We also matched our results with 34 published screens for DDR factors, creating a valuable resource for identifying strong candidates for novel DDR players. We uncovered fine-tuned dynamics between the PIKKs following genotoxic stress, such as DNA-PK-dependent attenuation of ATM. In A-T cells, partial compensation for ATM absence was provided by ATR and DNA-PK, with distinct roles and kinetics. The results highlight intricate relationships between these PIKKs in the DDR.

When Endoplasmic Reticulum Proteostasis Meets the DNA Damage Response

Sustaining both proteome and genome integrity (GI) requires the integration of a wide range of mechanisms and signaling pathways. These comprise, in particular, the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the DNA damage response (DDR). These adaptive mechanisms take place respectively in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and in the nucleus. UPR and DDR alterations are associated with aging and with pathologies such as degenerative diseases, metabolic and inflammatory disorders, and cancer. We discuss the emerging signaling crosstalk between UPR stress sensors and the DDR, as well as their involvement in cancer biology.

Structural mechanism of DNA-end synapsis in the non-homologous end joining pathway for repairing double-strand breaks: bridge over troubled ends

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is a major repair pathway for DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which is the most toxic DNA damage in cells. Unrepaired DSBs can cause genome instability, tumorigenesis or cell death. DNA end synapsis is the first and probably the most important step of the NHEJ pathway, aiming to bring two broken DNA ends close together and provide structural stability for end processing and ligation. This process is mediated through a group of NHEJ proteins forming higher-order complexes, to recognise and bridge two DNA ends. Spatial and temporal understanding of the structural mechanism of DNA-end synapsis has been largely advanced through recent structural and single-molecule studies of NHEJ proteins. This review focuses on core NHEJ proteins that mediate DNA end synapsis through their unique structures and interaction properties, as well as how they play roles as anchor and linker proteins during the process of 'bridge over troubled ends'.