VRK1 functional insufficiency due to alterations in protein stability or kinase activity of human VRK1 pathogenic variants implicated in neuromotor syndromes

VRK2 kinase pathogenic pathways in cancer and neurological diseases

The VRK2 ser-thr kinase, belonging to the dark kinome, is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer progression, neurological and psychiatric diseases. The VRK2 gene codes for two isoforms. The main isoform (VRK2A) is mainly located in the cytoplasm, and anchored to different types of membranes, such as the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and nuclear envelope. The VRK2A isoform interacts with signaling modules assembled on scaffold proteins such as JIP1 or KSR1, forming stable complexes and blocking the activation of regulatory signaling pathways by altering their intracellular localization and the balance among them. VRK2 regulates apoptosis, nuclear membrane organization, immune responses, and Cajal bodies. Wild-type VRK2 is overexpressed in tumors and contributes to cancer development. In cells and tumors with low levels of nuclear VRK1, VRK2 generates by alternative splicing a shorter isoform (VRK2B) that lacks the C-terminal hydrophobic tail and permits its relocation to nuclei. Furthermore, rare VRK2 gene variants are associated with different neurological or psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, depression, autism, circadian clock alterations and insomnia, but their pathogenic mechanism is unknown. These diseases are a likely consequence of an altered balance among different signaling pathways that are regulated by VRK2.

CMT2 and distal hereditary motor neuropathy associated with VRK1 variants: Case series

Axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT2) and distal hereditary motor neuropathy (dHMN) are associated with a heterogeneous group of genes encoding proteins that are involved in axonal transport, control of RNA metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics and DNA repair. VRK1 (vaccinia-related kinase 1) is a serine/threonine kinase which is widely expressed in human tissue and plays a role in RNA maturation and processing and in DNA damage response. Variants of VRK1 have been associated with neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular disorders including pontocerebellar hypoplasia, motor neuron disorders and distal hereditary motor neuropathy. We present 3 cases of VRK1-associated neuromuscular disorders without neurodevelopmental abnormalities including CMT2 associated with homozygous variant of VRK1 at Arg387His and dHMN with combination of heterozygous variants at Arg133His and Asp243Asn. While our case series expands the clinical spectrum of VRK1-associated neuromuscular disorders, additional studies are needed to elucidate pathophysiology of neuromuscular disorders associated with VRK1 variants.

Nuclear functions regulated by the VRK1 kinase

In the nucleus, the VRK1 Ser-Thr kinase is distributed in nucleoplasm and chromatin, where it has different roles. VRK1 expression increases in response to mitogenic signals. VRK1 regulates cyclin D1 expression at G0 exit and facilitates chromosome condensation at the end of G2 and G2/M progression to mitosis. These effects are mediated by the phosphorylation of histone H3 at Thr3 by VRK1, and later in mitosis by haspin. VRK1 regulates the apigenetic patterns of histones in processes requiring chromating remodeling, such as transcription, replication and DNA repair. VRK1 is overexpressed in tumors, facilitating tumor progression and resistance to genotoxic treatments. VRK1 also regulates the organization of Cajal bodies assembled on coilin, which are necessary for the assembly of different types of RNP complexes. VRK1 pathogenic variants cuase defects in Cajal bodies, functionally altering neurons with long axons and leading to neurological diseases, such as amyotrophic laterla sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, distal hereditay motor neuropathies and Charcot-Marie-Tooth.

Novel Dihydropteridinone Derivatives As Potent Inhibitors of the Understudied Human Kinases Vaccinia-Related Kinase 1 and Casein Kinase 1δ/ε

Vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) and the δ and ε isoforms of casein kinase 1 (CK1) are linked to various disease-relevant pathways. However, the lack of tool compounds for these kinases has significantly hampered our understanding of their cellular functions and therapeutic potential. Here, we describe the structure-based development of potent inhibitors of VRK1, a kinase highly expressed in various tumor types and crucial for cell proliferation and genome integrity. Kinome-wide profiling revealed that our compounds also inhibit CK1δ and CK1ε. We demonstrate that dihydropteridinones 35 and 36 mimic the cellular outcomes of VRK1 depletion. Complementary studies with existing CK1δ and CK1ε inhibitors suggest that these kinases may play overlapping roles in cell proliferation and genome instability. Together, our findings highlight the potential of VRK1 inhibition in treating p53-deficient tumors and possibly enhancing the efficacy of existing cancer therapies that target DNA stability or cell division.

Advances in synthetic lethality modalities for glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by a high mortality rate, high resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy, and radiotherapy due to its highly aggressive nature. The pathophysiology of GBM is characterized by multifarious genetic abrasions that deactivate tumor suppressor genes, induce transforming genes, and over-secretion of pro-survival genes, resulting in oncogene sustainability. Synthetic lethality is a destructive process in which the episode of a single genetic consequence is tolerable for cell survival, while co-episodes of multiple genetic consequences lead to cell death. This targeted drug approach, centered on the genetic concept of synthetic lethality, is often selective for DNA repair-deficient GBM cells with restricted toxicity to normal tissues. DNA repair pathways are key modalities in the generation, treatment, and drug resistance of cancers, as DNA damage plays a dual role as a creator of oncogenic mutations and a facilitator of cytotoxic genomic instability. Although several research advances have been made in synthetic lethality modalities for GBM therapy, no review article has summarized these therapeutic modalities. Thus, this review focuses on the innovative advances in synthetic lethality modalities for GBM therapy.

Pathogenic effects of Leu200Pro and Arg387His VRK1 protein variants on phosphorylation targets and H4K16 acetylation in distal hereditary motor neuropathy

Rare recessive variants in the human VRK1 gene are associated with several motor neuron diseases (MND), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, or distal hereditary motor neuropathies (dHMN). A case with dHMN carrying two novel VRK1 gene variants, expressing Leu200Pro (L200P) and Arg387His (R387H) variant proteins, identified that these protein variants are functionally different. The Leu200Pro variant shares with several variants in the catalytic domain the loss of the kinase activity on different substrates, such as histones, p53, or coilin. However, the distal Arg387His variant and the distal Trp375* (W375X) chinese variant, both located at the end of the low complexity C-terminal region and proximal to the termination codon, retain their catalytic activity on some substrates, and mechanistically their functional impairment is different. The L200P variant, as well as most VRK1 pathogenic variants, impairs the phosphorylation of BAF and histone H4K16 acetylation, which are required for DNA attachment to the nuclear envelope and chromatin accessibility to DNA repair mechanisms, respectively. The R387H variant impairs phosphorylation of H2AX, an early step in different types of DNA damage responses. The functional variability of VRK1 protein variants and their different combinations are a likely contributor to the clinical phenotypic heterogeneity of motor neuron and neurological diseases associated with rare VRK1 pathogenic variants. KEY MESSAGES: VRK1 variants implicated in motor neuron diseases are functionally different. The L200P variant is kinase inactive, and the R387H variant is partially active. VRK1 variants alter H4K16 acetylation and loss of coilin and BAF phosphorylation. VRK1 variants alter Cajal bodies and DNA damage responses. VRK1 variant combination determines the neurological phenotype heterogeneity.

Phosphoserine aminotransferase deficiency diagnosed by whole-exome sequencing and LC-MS/MS reanalysis: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Phosphoserine aminotransferase deficiency (PSATD) is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with hypertonia, psychomotor retardation, and acquired microcephaly. Patients with PSATD have low concentrations of serine in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.

METHODS

We reported a 2-year-old female child with developmental delay, dyskinesia, and microcephaly. LC-MS/MS was used to detect amino acid concentration in the blood and whole-exome sequencing (WES) was used to identify the variants. PolyPhen-2 web server and PyMol were used to predict the pathogenicity and changes in the 3D model molecular structure of protein caused by variants.

RESULTS

WES demonstrated compound heterozygous variants in PSAT1, which is associated with PSATD, with a paternal likely pathogenic variant (c.235G>A, Gly79Arg) and a maternal likely pathogenic variant (c.43G>C, Ala15Pro). Reduced serine concentration in LC-MS/MS further confirmed the diagnosis of PSATD in this patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate the importance of WES combined with LC-MS/MS reanalysis in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and expand the PSAT1 variant spectrum in PSATD. Moreover, we summarize all the cases caused by PSAT1 variants in the literature. This case provides a vital reference for the diagnosis of future cases.

Loss of VRK1 alters the nuclear phosphoproteome in the DNA damage response to doxorubicin

Dynamic chromatin remodeling requires regulatory mechanisms for its adaptation to different nuclear function, which are likely to be mediated by signaling proteins. In this context, VRK1 is a nuclear Ser-Thr kinase that regulates pathways associated with transcription, replication, recombination, and DNA repair. Therefore, VRK1 is a potential regulatory, or coordinator, molecule in these processes. In this work we studied the effect that VRK1 depletion has on the basal nuclear and chromatin phosphoproteome, and their associated pathways. VRK1 depletion caused an alteration in the pattern of the nuclear phosphoproteome, which is mainly associated with nucleoproteins, ribonucleoproteins, RNA splicing and processing. Next, it was determined the changes in proteins associated with DNA damage that was induced by doxorubicin treatment. Doxorubicin alters the nuclear phosphoproteome affecting proteins implicated in DDR, including DSB repair proteins NBN and 53BP1, cellular response to stress and chromatin organization proteins. In VRK1-depleted cells, the effect of doxorubicin on protein phosphorylation was reverted to basal levels. The nuclear phosphoproteome patterns induced by doxorubicin are altered by VRK1 depletion, and is enriched in histone modification proteins and chromatin associated proteins. These results indicate that VRK1 plays a major role in processes requiring chromatin remodeling in its adaptation to different biological contexts.

Coilin and Cajal bodies

The nucleus of higher eukaryotes contains a number of structures that concentrate specific biomolecules and play distinct roles in nuclear metabolism. In recent years, the molecular mechanisms controlling their formation have been intensively studied. In this brief review, I focus on coilin and Cajal bodies. Coilin is a key scaffolding protein of Cajal bodies that is evolutionarily conserved in metazoans. Cajal bodies are thought to be one of the archetypal nuclear structures involved in the metabolism of several short non-coding nuclear RNAs. Yet surprisingly little is known about the structure and function of coilin, and a comprehensive model to explain the origin of Cajal bodies is also lacking. Here, I summarize recent results on Cajal bodies and coilin and discuss them in the context of the last three decades of research in this field.

Behavioral and neurological effects of Vrk1 deficiency in zebrafish

Vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) is a serine/threonine kinase, for which mutations have been reported cause to neurodegenerative diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy, characterized by microcephaly, motor dysfunction, and impaired cognitive function, in humans. Partial Vrk1 knockdown in mice has been associated with microcephaly and impaired motor function. However, the pathophysiological relationship between VRK1 and neurodegenerative disorders and the precise mechanism of VRK1-related microcephaly and motor function deficits have not been fully investigated. To address this, in this study, we established vrk1-deficient (vrk1-/-) zebrafish and found that they show mild microcephaly and impaired motor function with a low brain dopamine content. Furthermore, vrk1-/- zebrafish exhibited decreased cell proliferation, defects in nuclear envelope formation, and heterochromatin formation in the brain. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the important role of VRK1 in microcephaly and motor dysfunction in vivo using vrk1-/- zebrafish. These findings contribute to elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying VRK1-mediated neurodegenerative diseases associated with microcephaly.

VRK1 variants at the cross road of Cajal body neuropathogenic mechanisms in distal neuropathies and motor neuron diseases

Distal hereditary neuropathies and neuro motor diseases are complex neurological phenotypes associated with pathogenic variants in a large number of genes, but in some the origin is unknown. Recently, rare pathogenic variants of the human VRK1 gene have been associated with these neurological phenotypes. All VRK1 pathogenic variants are recessive, and their clinical presentation occurs in either homozygous or compound heterozygous patients. The pathogenic VRK1 gene pathogenic variants are located in three clusters within the protein sequence. The main, and initial, shared clinical phenotype among VRK1 pathogenic variants is a distal progressive loss of motor and/or sensory function, which includes diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and hereditary spastic paraplegia. In most cases, symptoms start early in infancy, or in utero, and are slowly progressive. Additional neurological symptoms vary among non-related patients, probably because of their different VRK1 variants and their genetic background. The underlying common pathogenic mechanism, by its functional impairment, is a likely consequence of the roles that the VRK1 protein plays in the regulation on the stability and assembly of Cajal bodies, which affect RNA maturation and processing, neuronal migration of RNPs along axons, and DNA-damage responses. Alterations of these processes are associated with several neuro sensory or motor syndromes. The clinical heterogeneity of the neurological phenotypes associated with VRK1 is a likely consequence of the protein complexes in which VRK1 is integrated, which include several proteins known to be associated with Cajal bodies and DNA damage responses. Several hereditary distal neurological diseases are a consequence of pathogenic variants in genes that alter these cellular functions. We conclude that VRK1-related distal hereditary neuropathies and motor neuron diseases represent a novel subgroup of Cajal body related neurological syndromes.

VRK1 Kinase Activity Modulating Histone H4K16 Acetylation Inhibited by SIRT2 and VRK-IN-1

The accessibility of DNA to different cellular functions requires a dynamic regulation of chromatin organization that is mediated by different epigenetic modifications, which regulate chromatin accessibility and degree of compaction. These epigenetic modifications, particularly the acetylation of histone H4 in lysine 14 (H4K16ac), determine the degree of chromatin accessibility to different nuclear functions, as well as to DNA damage drugs. H4K16ac is regulated by the balance between two alternative histone modifications, acetylation and deacetylation, which are mediated by acetylases and deacetylases. Tip60/KAT5 acetylates, and SIRT2 deacetylates histone H4K16. However, the balance between these two epigenetic enzymes is unknown. VRK1 regulates the level of H4K16 acetylation by activating Tip60. We have shown that the VRK1 and SIRT2 are able to form a stable protein complex. For this work, we used in vitro interaction, pull-down and in vitro kinase assays. In cells, their interaction and colocalization were detected by immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. The kinase activity of VRK1 is inhibited by a direct interaction of its N-terminal kinase domain with SIRT2 in vitro. This interaction causes a loss of H4K16ac similarly to the effect of a novel VRK1 inhibitor (VRK-IN-1) or VRK1 depletion. The use of specific SIRT2 inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma cells induces H4K16ac, contrary to the novel VRK-IN-1 inhibitor, which prevents H4K16ac and a correct DNA damage response. Therefore, the inhibition of SIRT2 can cooperate with VRK1 in the accessibility of drugs to chromatin in response to DNA damage caused by doxorubicin.

VRK1 Is a Synthetic-Lethal Target in VRK2-Deficient Glioblastoma

Synthetic lethality is a genetic interaction that results in cell death when two genetic deficiencies co-occur but not when either deficiency occurs alone, which can be co-opted for cancer therapeutics. Pairs of paralog genes are among the most straightforward potential synthetic-lethal interactions by virtue of their redundant functions. Here, we demonstrate a paralog-based synthetic lethality by targeting vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) in glioblastoma (GBM) deficient of VRK2, which is silenced by promoter methylation in approximately two thirds of GBM. Genetic knockdown of VRK1 in VRK2-null or VRK2-methylated cells resulted in decreased activity of the downstream substrate barrier to autointegration factor (BAF), a regulator of post-mitotic nuclear envelope formation. Reduced BAF activity following VRK1 knockdown caused nuclear lobulation, blebbing, and micronucleation, which subsequently resulted in G2-M arrest and DNA damage. The VRK1-VRK2 synthetic-lethal interaction was dependent on VRK1 kinase activity and was rescued by ectopic expression of VRK2. In VRK2-methylated GBM cell line-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models, knockdown of VRK1 led to robust tumor growth inhibition. These results indicate that inhibiting VRK1 kinase activity could be a viable therapeutic strategy in VRK2-methylated GBM.

SIGNIFICANCE

A paralog synthetic-lethal interaction between VRK1 and VRK2 sensitizes VRK2-methylated glioblastoma to perturbation of VRK1 kinase activity, supporting VRK1 as a drug discovery target in this disease.

VRK1 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Promotes Bladder Cancer Growth and Metastasis In Vitro and In Vivo

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system with growing morbidity and diagnostic rate in recent years. Therefore, identifying new molecular biomarkers that inhibit the progression of bladder cancer is needed for developing further therapeutics. This study found a new potential treatment target: vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) and explored the function and mechanism of VRK1 in the development of bladder cancer. First, TCGA database and tissue microarray analysis showed that VRK1 was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicates that the OS and PFS of the VRK1 high expression group were significantly lower than the VRK1 low expression group (p = 0.002, p = 0.005). Cox multi-factor analysis results show that VRK1 expression is an independent risk factor affecting tumor progress. The maximum tumor diameter, staging, and adjuvant chemotherapy also have a certain impact on tumor progression (p < 0.05). In internal validation, the column C index is 0.841 (95% CI, 0.803-0.880). In addition, cell functional studies have shown that VRK1 can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasiveness of bladder cancer cells. In vivo, nude mice transplanted tumors further prove that low VRK1 can significantly inhibit the proliferation capacity of bladder cancer cells. In summary, VRK1 expression is significantly related to the staging, grade, and poor prognosis of patients with bladder cancer. At the same time, in vivo and in vitro experiments have shown that downregulation of VRK1 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. These findings provide a basis for using VRK1 as a potential therapeutic target for patients with bladder cancer.

Malformations of cerebral development and clues from the peripheral nervous system: A systematic literature review

Clinical manifestations of malformations of cortical development (MCD) are variable and can range from mild to severe intellectual disability, cerebral palsy and drug-resistant epilepsy. Besides common clinical features, non-specific or more subtle clinical symptoms may be present in association with different types of MCD. Especially in severely affected individuals, subtle but specific underlying clinical symptoms can be overlooked or overshadowed by the global clinical presentation. To facilitate the interpretation of genetic variants detailed clinical information is indispensable. Detailed (neurological) examination can be helpful in assisting with the diagnostic trajectory, both when referring for genetic work-up as well as when interpreting data from molecular genetic testing. This systematic literature review focusses on different clues derived from the neurological examination and potential further work-up triggered by these signs and symptoms in genetically defined MCDs. A concise overview of specific neurological findings and their associations with MCD subtype and genotype are presented, easily applicable in daily clinical practice. The following pathologies will be discussed: neuropathy, myopathy, muscular dystrophies and spastic paraplegia. In the discussion section, tips and pitfalls are illustrated to improve clinical outcome in the future.

UHMK1-dependent phosphorylation of Cajal body protein coilin alters 5-FU sensitivity in colon cancer cells

Resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in chemotherapy and recurrence of colorectal tumors is a serious concern that impedes improvements to clinical outcomes. In the present study, we found that conditioned medium (CM) derived from 5-FU-resistant HCT-8/FU cells reduced 5-FU chemosensitivity in HCT-8 colon cancer cells, with corresponding changes to number and morphology of Cajal bodies (CBs) as observable nuclear structures. We found that U2AF homology motif kinase 1 (UHMK1) altered CB disassembly and reassembly and regulated the phosphorylation of coilin, a major component of CBs. This subsequently resulted in a large number of variations in RNA alternative splicing that affected cell survival following 5-FU treatment, induced changes in intracellular phenotype, and transmitted preadaptive signals to adjacent cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Our findings suggest that CBs may be useful for indicating drug sensitivity or resistance in tumor cells in response to stress signals. The results also suggest that UHMK1 may be an important factor for maintaining CB structure and morphology by regulating splicing events, especially following cellular exposure to cytotoxic drugs.

Spatiotemporal expression of regulatory kinases directs the transition from mitosis to cellular morphogenesis in Drosophila

Embryogenesis depends on a tightly regulated balance between mitosis, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Understanding how the embryo uses a relatively small number of proteins to transition between growth and morphogenesis is a central question of developmental biology, but the mechanisms controlling mitosis and differentiation are considered to be fundamentally distinct. Here we show the mitotic kinase Polo, which regulates all steps of mitosis in Drosophila, also directs cellular morphogenesis after cell cycle exit. In mitotic cells, the Aurora kinases activate Polo to control a cytoskeletal regulatory module that directs cytokinesis. We show that in the post-mitotic mesoderm, the control of Polo activity transitions from the Aurora kinases to the uncharacterized kinase Back Seat Driver (Bsd), where Bsd and Polo cooperate to regulate muscle morphogenesis. Polo and its effectors therefore direct mitosis and cellular morphogenesis, but the transition from growth to morphogenesis is determined by the spatiotemporal expression of upstream activating kinases.

The mechanisms regulating mitosis and differentiation during development are thought to be distinct. Here they show that in Drosophila the mitotic kinase Polo regulates cellular morphogenesis after cell cycle exit.

The Phosphorylated Form of the Histone H2AX (γH2AX) in the Brain from Embryonic Life to Old Age

The γ phosphorylated form of the histone H2AX (γH2AX) was described more than 40 years ago and it was demonstrated that phosphorylation of H2AX was one of the first cellular responses to DNA damage. Since then, γH2AX has been implicated in diverse cellular functions in normal and pathological cells. In the first part of this review, we will briefly describe the intervention of H2AX in the DNA damage response (DDR) and its role in some pivotal cellular events, such as regulation of cell cycle checkpoints, genomic instability, cell growth, mitosis, embryogenesis, and apoptosis. Then, in the main part of this contribution, we will discuss the involvement of γH2AX in the normal and pathological central nervous system, with particular attention to the differences in the DDR between immature and mature neurons, and to the significance of H2AX phosphorylation in neurogenesis and neuronal cell death. The emerging picture is that H2AX is a pleiotropic molecule with an array of yet not fully understood functions in the brain, from embryonic life to old age.

Dysfunctional Homozygous VRK1-D263G Variant Impairs the Assembly of Cajal Bodies and DNA Damage Response in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Background and Objectives

To conduct a genetic and molecular functional study of a family with members affected of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) of unknown origin and carrying a novel pathogenic vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) variant.

Methods

Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 2 patients, and their parents diagnosed with HSP. The novel VRK1 variant was detected by whole-exome sequencing, molecularly modeled and biochemically characterized in kinase assays. Functionally, we studied the role of this VRK1 variant in DNA damage response and its effect on the assembly of Cajal bodies (CBs).

Results

We have identified a very rare homozygous variant VRK1-D263G with a neurologic phenotype associated with HSP and moderate intellectual disability. The molecular modeling of this VRK1 variant protein predicted an alteration in the folding of a loop that interferes with the access to the kinase catalytic site. The VRK1-D263G variant is kinase inactive and does not phosphorylate histones H2AX and H3, transcription factors activating transcription factor 2 and p53, coilin needed for assembly of CBs, and p53 binding protein 1, a DNA repair protein. Functionally, this VRK1 variant protein impairs CB formation and the DNA damage response.

Discussion

This report expands the neurologic spectrum of neuromotor syndromes associated with a new and rare VRK1 variant, representing a novel pathogenic participant in complicated HSP and demonstrates that CBs and the DNA damage response are impaired in these patients.

VRK1 Depletion Facilitates the Synthetic Lethality of Temozolomide and Olaparib in Glioblastoma Cells

Background

Glioblastomas treated with temozolomide frequently develop resistance to pharmacological treatments. Therefore, there is a need to find alternative drug targets to reduce treatment resistance based on tumor dependencies. A possibility is to target simultaneously two proteins from different DNA-damage repair pathways to facilitate tumor cell death. Therefore, we tested whether targeting the human chromatin kinase VRK1 by RNA interference can identify this protein as a novel molecular target to reduce the dependence on temozolomide in combination with olaparib, based on synthetic lethality.

Materials and Methods

Depletion of VRK1, an enzyme that regulates chromatin dynamic reorganization and facilitates resistance to DNA damage, was performed in glioblastoma cells treated with temozolomide, an alkylating agent used for GBM treatment; and olaparib, an inhibitor of PARP-1, used as sensitizer. Two genetically different human glioblastoma cell lines, LN-18 and LN-229, were used for these experiments. The effect on the DNA-damage response was followed by determination of sequential steps in this process: H4K16ac, γH2AX, H4K20me2, and 53BP1.

Results

The combination of temozolomide and olaparib increased DNA damage detected by labeling free DNA ends, and chromatin relaxation detected by H4K16ac. The combination of both drugs, at lower doses, resulted in an increase in the DNA damage response detected by the formation of γH2AX and 53BP1 foci. VRK1 depletion did not prevent the generation of DNA damage in TUNEL assays, but significantly impaired the DNA damage response induced by temozolomide and olaparib, and mediated by γH2AX, H4K20me2, and 53BP1. The combination of these drugs in VRK1 depleted cells resulted in an increase of glioblastoma cell death detected by annexin V and the processing of PARP-1 and caspase-3.

Conclusion

Depletion of the chromatin kinase VRK1 promotes tumor cell death at lower doses of a combination of temozolomide and olaparib treatments, and can be a novel alternative target for therapies based on synthetic lethality.

The human VRK1 chromatin kinase in cancer biology

VRK1 is a nuclear Ser-Thr chromatin kinase that does not mutate in cancer, and is overexpressed in many types of tumors and associated with a poor prognosis. Chromatin VRK1 phosphorylates several transcription factors, including p53, histones and proteins implicated in DNA damage response pathways. In the context of cell proliferation, VRK1 regulates entry in cell cycle, chromatin condensation in G2/M, Golgi fragmentation, Cajal body dynamics and nuclear envelope assembly in mitosis. This kinase also controls the initial chromatin relaxation associated with histone acetylation, and the non-homologous-end joining (NHEJ) DNA repair pathway, which involves sequential steps such as γH2AX, NBS1 and 53BP1 foci formation, all phosphorylated by VRK1, in response to ionizing radiation or chemotherapy. In addition, VRK1 can be an alternative target for therapies based on synthetic lethality strategies. Therefore, VRK1 roles on proliferation have a pro-tumorigenic effect. Functions regulating chromatin stability and DNA damage responses have a protective anti-tumor role in normal cells, but in tumor cells can also facilitate resistance to genotoxic treatments.

VRK1 Phosphorylates Tip60/KAT5 and Is Required for H4K16 Acetylation in Response to DNA Damage

Dynamic remodeling of chromatin requires acetylation and methylation of histones, frequently affecting the same lysine residue. These alternative epigenetic modifications require the coordination of enzymes, writers and erasers, mediating them such as acetylases and deacetylases. In cells in G0/G1, DNA damage induced by doxorubicin causes an increase in histone H4K16ac, a marker of chromatin relaxation. In this context, we studied the role that VRK1, a chromatin kinase activated by DNA damage, plays in this early step. VRK1 depletion or MG149, a Tip60/KAT5 inhibitor, cause a loss of H4K16ac. DNA damage induces the phosphorylation of Tip60 mediated by VRK1 in the chromatin fraction. VRK1 directly interacts with and phosphorylates Tip60. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of Tip60 induced by doxorubicin is lost by depletion of VRK1 in both ATM +/+ and ATM-/- cells. Kinase-active VRK1, but not kinase-dead VRK1, rescues Tip60 phosphorylation induced by DNA damage independently of ATM. The Tip60 phosphorylation by VRK1 is necessary for the activating acetylation of ATM, and subsequent ATM autophosphorylation, and both are lost by VRK1 depletion. These results support that the VRK1 chromatin kinase is an upstream regulator of the initial acetylation of histones, and an early step in DNA damage responses (DDR).

VRK1 (Y213H) homozygous mutant impairs Cajal bodies in a hereditary case of distal motor neuropathy

BACKGROUND

Distal motor neuropathies with a genetic origin have a heterogeneous clinical presentation with overlapping features affecting distal nerves and including spinal muscular atrophies and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This indicates that their genetic background is heterogeneous.

PATIENT AND METHODS

In this work, we have identified and characterized the genetic and molecular base of a patient with a distal sensorimotor neuropathy of unknown origin. For this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing, molecular modelling, cloning and expression of mutant gene, and biochemical and cell biology analysis of the mutant protein.

RESULTS

A novel homozygous recessive mutation in the human VRK1 gene, coding for a chromatin kinase, causing a substitution (c.637T > C; p.Tyr213His) in exon 8, was detected in a patient presenting since childhood a progressive distal sensorimotor neuropathy and spinal muscular atrophy syndrome, with normal intellectual development. Molecular modelling predicted this mutant VRK1 has altered the kinase activation loop by disrupting its interaction with the C-terminal regulatory region. The p.Y213H mutant protein has a reduced kinase activity with different substrates, including histones H3 and H2AX, proteins involved in DNA damage responses, such as p53 and 53BP1, and coilin, the scaffold for Cajal bodies. The mutant VRK1(Y213H) protein is unable to rescue the formation of Cajal bodies assembled on coilin, in the absence of wild-type VRK1.

CONCLUSION

The VRK1(Y213H) mutant protein alters the activation loop, impairs the kinase activity of VRK1 causing a functional insufficiency that impairs the formation of Cajal bodies assembled on coilin, a protein that regulates SMN1 and Cajal body formation.