RESUMO
Expansions of repeat DNA tracts cause >70 diseases, and ongoing expansions in brains exacerbate disease. During expansion mutations, single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) form slipped-DNAs. We find the ssDNA-binding complexes canonical replication protein A (RPA1, RPA2, and RPA3) and Alternative-RPA (RPA1, RPA3, and primate-specific RPA4) are upregulated in Huntington disease and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) patient brains. Protein interactomes of RPA and Alt-RPA reveal unique and shared partners, including modifiers of CAG instability and disease presentation. RPA enhances in vitro melting, FAN1 excision, and repair of slipped-CAGs and protects against CAG expansions in human cells. RPA overexpression in SCA1 mouse brains ablates expansions, coincident with decreased ATXN1 aggregation, reduced brain DNA damage, improved neuron morphology, and rescued motor phenotypes. In contrast, Alt-RPA inhibits melting, FAN1 excision, and repair of slipped-CAGs and promotes CAG expansions. These findings suggest a functional interplay between the two RPAs where Alt-RPA may antagonistically offset RPA's suppression of disease-associated repeat expansions, which may extend to other DNA processes.
Assuntos
Proteína de Replicação A , Expansão das Repetições de Trinucleotídeos , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , DNA/genética , Reparo de Erro de Pareamento de DNA , Doença de Huntington/genética , Proteínas/genética , Ataxias Espinocerebelares/genética , Proteína de Replicação A/metabolismoRESUMO
Bacteria encode reverse transcriptases (RTs) of unknown function that are closely related to group II intron-encoded RTs. We found that a Pseudomonas aeruginosa group II intron-like RT (G2L4 RT) with YIDD instead of YADD at its active site functions in DNA repair in its native host and when expressed in Escherichia coli. G2L4 RT has biochemical activities strikingly similar to those of human DNA repair polymerase θ and uses them for translesion DNA synthesis and double-strand break repair (DSBR) via microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ). We also found that a group II intron RT can function similarly in DNA repair, with reciprocal active-site substitutions showing isoleucine favors MMEJ and alanine favors primer extension in both enzymes. These DNA repair functions utilize conserved structural features of non-LTR-retroelement RTs, including human LINE-1 and other eukaryotic non-LTR-retrotransposon RTs, suggesting such enzymes may have inherent ability to function in DSBR in a wide range of organisms.
Assuntos
DNA Polimerase Dirigida por RNA , Retroelementos , Alanina/genética , Reparo do DNA por Junção de Extremidades , Reparo do DNA , RNA Polimerases Dirigidas por DNA/genética , Humanos , Íntrons , Isoleucina/genética , DNA Polimerase Dirigida por RNA/químicaRESUMO
Double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) are the most lethal type of DNA damage, making DSB repair critical for cell survival. However, some DSB repair pathways are mutagenic and promote genome rearrangements, leading to genome destabilization. One such pathway is break-induced replication (BIR), which repairs primarily one-ended DSBs, similar to those formed by collapsed replication forks or telomere erosion. BIR is initiated by the invasion of a broken DNA end into a homologous template, synthesizes new DNA within the context of a migrating bubble, and is associated with conservative inheritance of new genetic material. This mode of synthesis is responsible for a high level of genetic instability associated with BIR. Eukaryotic BIR was initially investigated in yeast, but now it is also actively studied in mammalian systems. Additionally, a significant breakthrough has been made regarding the role of microhomology-mediated BIR in the formation of complex genomic rearrangements that underly various human pathologies.
Assuntos
Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Reparo do DNA , Replicação do DNA , Mamíferos/genética , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Animais , Reparo do DNA por Junção de Extremidades , Humanos , Mutação , Leveduras/genéticaRESUMO
The alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway maintains telomere length in a significant fraction of cancers that are associated with poor clinical outcomes. A better understanding of ALT mechanisms is therefore necessary for developing new treatment strategies for ALT cancers. SUMO modification of telomere proteins contributes to the formation of ALT telomere-associated PML bodies (APBs), in which telomeres are clustered and DNA repair proteins are enriched to promote homology-directed telomere DNA synthesis in ALT. However, it is still unknown whether-and if so, how-SUMO supports ALT beyond APB formation. Here, we show that SUMO condensates that contain DNA repair proteins enable telomere maintenance in the absence of APBs. In PML knockout ALT cell lines that lack APBs, we found that SUMOylation is required for manifesting ALT features independent of PML and APBs. Chemically induced telomere targeting of SUMO produces condensate formation and ALT features in PML-null cells. This effect requires both SUMOylation and interactions between SUMO and SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs). Mechanistically, SUMO-induced effects are associated with the accumulation of DNA repair proteins, including Rad52, Rad51AP1, RPA, and BLM, at telomeres. Furthermore, Rad52 can undergo phase separation, enrich SUMO at telomeres, and promote telomere DNA synthesis in collaboration with the BLM helicase in a SUMO-dependent manner. Collectively, our findings suggest that SUMO condensate formation promotes collaboration among DNA repair factors to support ALT telomere maintenance without PML. Given the promising effects of SUMOylation inhibitors in cancer treatment, our findings suggest their potential use in perturbing telomere maintenance in ALT cancer cells.
Assuntos
Reparo do DNA , Proteína da Leucemia Promielocítica , Sumoilação , Homeostase do Telômero , Telômero , Humanos , Proteína da Leucemia Promielocítica/metabolismo , Proteína da Leucemia Promielocítica/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proteína SUMO-1/metabolismo , Proteína SUMO-1/genética , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/metabolismo , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/genética , Linhagem Celular , Proteínas Modificadoras Pequenas Relacionadas à Ubiquitina/metabolismo , Proteínas Modificadoras Pequenas Relacionadas à Ubiquitina/genéticaRESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a homology-directed repair (HDR) mechanism of telomere elongation that controls proliferation in subsets of aggressive cancer. Recent studies have revealed that telomere repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) promotes ALT-associated HDR (ALT-HDR). Here, we report that RAD51AP1, a crucial ALT factor, interacts with TERRA and utilizes it to generate D- and R-loop HR intermediates. We also show that RAD51AP1 binds to and might stabilize TERRA-containing R-loops as RAD51AP1 depletion reduces R-loop formation at telomere DNA breaks. Proteomic analyses uncover a role for RAD51AP1-mediated TERRA R-loop homeostasis in a mechanism of chromatin-directed suppression of TERRA and prevention of transcription-replication collisions (TRCs) during ALT-HDR. Intriguingly, we find that both TERRA binding and this non-canonical function of RAD51AP1 require its intrinsic SUMO-SIM regulatory axis. These findings provide insights into the multi-contextual functions of RAD51AP1 within the ALT mechanism and regulation of TERRA.
Assuntos
RNA Longo não Codificante , Homeostase do Telômero , Cromatina/genética , Proteômica , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , HomeostaseRESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), a telomerase-independent process maintaining telomeres, is mediated by break-induced replication (BIR). RAD52 promotes ALT by facilitating D-loop formation, but ALT also occurs through a RAD52-independent BIR pathway. Here, we show that the telomere non-coding RNA TERRA forms dynamic telomeric R-loops and contributes to ALT activity in RAD52 knockout cells. TERRA forms R-loops in vitro and at telomeres in a RAD51AP1-dependent manner. The formation of R-loops by TERRA increases G-quadruplexes (G4s) at telomeres. G4 stabilization enhances ALT even when TERRA is depleted, suggesting that G4s act downstream of R-loops to promote BIR. In vitro, the telomeric R-loops assembled by TERRA and RAD51AP1 generate G4s, which persist after R-loop resolution and allow formation of telomeric D-loops without RAD52. Thus, the dynamic telomeric R-loops formed by TERRA and RAD51AP1 enable the RAD52-independent ALT pathway, and G4s orchestrate an R- to D-loop switch at telomeres to stimulate BIR.
Assuntos
RNA Longo não Codificante , Telomerase , Homeostase do Telômero , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Telomerase/genética , Telomerase/metabolismo , Estruturas R-Loop/genética , Reparo do DNARESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is mediated by break-induced replication (BIR), but how BIR is regulated at telomeres is poorly understood. Here, we show that telomeric BIR is a self-perpetuating process. By tethering PML-IV to telomeres, we induced telomere clustering in ALT-associated PML bodies (APBs) and a POLD3-dependent ATR response at telomeres, showing that BIR generates replication stress. Ablation of BLM helicase activity in APBs abolishes telomere synthesis but causes multiple chromosome bridges between telomeres, revealing a function of BLM in processing inter-telomere BIR intermediates. Interestingly, the accumulation of BLM in APBs requires its own helicase activity and POLD3, suggesting that BIR triggers a feedforward loop to further recruit BLM. Enhancing BIR induces PIAS4-mediated TRF2 SUMOylation, and PIAS4 loss deprives APBs of repair proteins and compromises ALT telomere synthesis. Thus, a BLM-driven and PIAS4-mediated feedforward loop operates in APBs to perpetuate BIR, providing a critical mechanism to extend ALT telomeres.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Grupos de Complementação da Anemia de Fanconi/genética , Retroalimentação Fisiológica , Proteínas de Ligação a Poli-ADP-Ribose/genética , Proteínas Inibidoras de STAT Ativados/genética , RNA Helicases/genética , Homeostase do Telômero , Telômero/química , Proteína 2 de Ligação a Repetições Teloméricas/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , DNA Polimerase III/genética , DNA Polimerase III/metabolismo , Células Epiteliais/citologia , Células Epiteliais/metabolismo , Proteínas de Grupos de Complementação da Anemia de Fanconi/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas de Grupos de Complementação da Anemia de Fanconi/metabolismo , Fibroblastos/citologia , Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Humanos , Corpos de Inclusão Intranuclear/genética , Corpos de Inclusão Intranuclear/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a Poli-ADP-Ribose/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas de Ligação a Poli-ADP-Ribose/metabolismo , Proteínas Inibidoras de STAT Ativados/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas Inibidoras de STAT Ativados/metabolismo , RNA Helicases/antagonistas & inibidores , RNA Helicases/metabolismo , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genética , RNA Interferente Pequeno/metabolismo , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/genética , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/metabolismo , RecQ Helicases/genética , RecQ Helicases/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Sumoilação , Telômero/metabolismo , Proteína 2 de Ligação a Repetições Teloméricas/genéticaRESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a recombination process that maintains telomeres in the absence of telomerase and helps cancer cells to survive. Yeast has been used as a robust model of ALT; however, the inability to determine the frequency and structure of ALT survivors hinders understanding of the ALT mechanism. Here, using population and molecular genetics approaches, we overcome these problems and demonstrate that contrary to the current view, both RAD51-dependent and RAD51-independent mechanisms are required for a unified ALT survivor pathway. This conclusion is based on the calculation of ALT frequencies, as well as on ultra-long sequencing of ALT products that revealed hybrid sequences containing features attributed to both recombination pathways. Sequencing of ALT intermediates demonstrates that recombination begins with Rad51-mediated strand invasion to form DNA substrates that are matured by a Rad51-independent ssDNA annealing pathway. A similar unified ALT pathway may operate in other organisms, including humans.
Assuntos
Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Telômero/genética , DNA/genética , Rad51 Recombinase/genética , Recombinação Genética/genética , Telomerase/genéticaRESUMO
Telomeres consist of TTAGGG repeats bound by protein complexes that serve to protect the natural end of linear chromosomes. Most cells maintain telomere repeat lengths by using the enzyme telomerase, although there are some cancer cells that use a telomerase-independent mechanism of telomere extension, termed alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Cells that use ALT are characterized, in part, by the presence of specialized PML nuclear bodies called ALT-associated PML bodies (APBs). APBs localize to and cluster telomeric ends together with telomeric and DNA damage factors, which led to the proposal that these bodies act as a platform on which ALT can occur. However, the necessity of APBs and their function in the ALT pathway has remained unclear. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to delete PML and APB components from ALT-positive cells to cleanly define the function of APBs in ALT. We found that PML is required for the ALT mechanism, and that this necessity stems from APBs' role in localizing the BLM-TOP3A-RMI (BTR) complex to ALT telomere ends. Strikingly, recruitment of the BTR complex to telomeres in a PML-independent manner bypasses the need for PML in the ALT pathway, suggesting that BTR localization to telomeres is sufficient to sustain ALT activity.
Assuntos
DNA Topoisomerases Tipo I/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , RecQ Helicases/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero/fisiologia , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Células HeLa , Humanos , Transporte ProteicoRESUMO
Cancer cells acquire unlimited proliferative capacity by either re-expressing telomerase or inducing alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), which relies on telomere recombination. Here, we show that ALT recombination requires coordinate regulation of the SMX and BTR complexes to ensure the appropriate balance of resolution and dissolution activities at recombining telomeres. Critical to this control is SLX4IP, which accumulates at ALT telomeres and interacts with SLX4, XPF, and BLM. Loss of SLX4IP increases ALT-related phenotypes, which is incompatible with cell growth following concomitant loss of SLX4. Inactivation of BLM is sufficient to rescue telomere aggregation and the synthetic growth defect in this context, suggesting that SLX4IP favors SMX-dependent resolution by antagonizing promiscuous BLM activity during ALT recombination. Finally, we show that SLX4IP is inactivated in a subset of ALT-positive osteosarcomas. Collectively, our findings uncover an SLX4IP-dependent regulatory mechanism critical for telomere maintenance in ALT cancer cells.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Ósseas/enzimologia , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Osteossarcoma/enzimologia , RecQ Helicases/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero , Telômero/metabolismo , Animais , Neoplasias Ósseas/genética , Neoplasias Ósseas/patologia , Proteínas de Transporte/genética , Proliferação de Células , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Feminino , Regulação Enzimológica da Expressão Gênica , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Células HEK293 , Células HeLa , Humanos , Camundongos Knockout , Camundongos SCID , Osteossarcoma/genética , Osteossarcoma/patologia , Ligação Proteica , Domínios e Motivos de Interação entre Proteínas , RecQ Helicases/genética , Recombinases/genética , Recombinases/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Telômero/genética , Telômero/patologiaRESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telomerase-independent telomere maintenance mechanism that occurs in a subset of cancers. One of the hallmarks of ALT cancer is the excessively clustered telomeres in promyelocytic leukemia (PML) bodies, represented as large bright telomere foci. Here, we present a model system that generates telomere clustering in nuclear polySUMO (small ubiquitin-like modification)/polySIM (SUMO-interacting motif) condensates, analogous to PML bodies, and thus artificially engineered ALT-associated PML body (APB)-like condensates in vivo. We observed that the ALT-like phenotypes (i.e., a small fraction of heterogeneous telomere lengths and formation of C circles) are rapidly induced by introducing the APB-like condensates together with BLM through its helicase domain, accompanied by ssDNA generation and RPA accumulation at telomeres. Moreover, these events lead to mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS) at telomeres mediated by RAD52 through its highly conserved N-terminal domain. We propose that the clustering of large amounts of telomeres in human cancers promotes ALT that is mediated by MiDAS, analogous to Saccharomyces cerevisiae type II ALT survivors.
Assuntos
Núcleo Celular/metabolismo , DNA/biossíntese , Leucemia Promielocítica Aguda/fisiopatologia , Mitose , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/metabolismo , RecQ Helicases/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Motivos de Aminoácidos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Leucemia Promielocítica Aguda/genética , Fenótipo , Transporte Proteico , Proteína SUMO-1/metabolismo , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismoRESUMO
Approximately 15% of cancers use homologous recombination for alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). How the initiating genomic lesions invoke homology-directed telomere synthesis remains enigmatic. Here, we show that distinct dependencies exist for telomere synthesis in response to replication stress or DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). RAD52 deficiency reduced spontaneous telomeric DNA synthesis and replication stress-associated recombination in G2, concomitant with telomere shortening and damage. However, viability and proliferation remained unaffected, suggesting that alternative telomere recombination mechanisms compensate in the absence of RAD52. In agreement, RAD52 was dispensable for DSB-induced telomere synthesis. Moreover, a targeted CRISPR screen revealed that loss of the structure-specific endonuclease scaffold SLX4 reduced the proliferation of RAD52-null ALT cells. While SLX4 was dispensable for RAD52-mediated ALT telomere synthesis in G2, combined SLX4 and RAD52 loss resulted in elevated telomere loss, unresolved telomere recombination intermediates, and mitotic infidelity. These findings establish that RAD52 and SLX4 mediate distinct postreplicative DNA repair processes that maintain ALT telomere stability and cancer cell viability.
Assuntos
Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/metabolismo , Recombinases/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Quebras de DNA de Cadeia Dupla , Técnicas de Inativação de Genes , Instabilidade Genômica/genética , Células HEK293 , Células HeLa , Humanos , Interfase , Proteína Rad52 de Recombinação e Reparo de DNA/genética , Recombinases/genéticaRESUMO
ATRX (alpha-thalassemia mental retardation X-linked) is one of the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor genes in human cancers, especially in glioma, and recent findings indicate roles for ATRX in key molecular pathways, such as the regulation of chromatin state, gene expression, and DNA damage repair, placing ATRX as a central player in the maintenance of genome stability and function. This has led to new perspectives about the functional role of ATRX and its relationship with cancer. Here, we provide an overview of ATRX interactions and molecular functions and discuss the consequences of its impairment, including alternative lengthening of telomeres and therapeutic vulnerabilities that may be exploited in cancer cells.
Assuntos
Cromatina , Glioma , Humanos , Cromatina/genética , DNA Helicases/genética , Proteína Nuclear Ligada ao X/genética , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Glioma/genética , TelômeroRESUMO
The identification of telomerase-negative HAATI (heterochromatin amplification-mediated and telomerase-independent) cells, in which telomeres are superseded by nontelomeric heterochromatin tracts, challenged the idea that canonical telomeres are essential for chromosome linearity and raised crucial questions as to how such tracts translocate to eroding chromosome ends and confer end protection. Here we show that HAATI arises when telomere loss triggers a newly recognized illegitimate translocation pathway that requires RNAi factors. While RNAi is necessary for the translocation events that mobilize ribosomal DNA (rDNA) tracts to all chromosome ends (forming "HAATIrDNA" chromosomes), it is dispensable for HAATIrDNA maintenance. Surprisingly, Dicer (Dcr1) plays a separate, RNAi-independent role in preventing formation of the rare HAATI subtype in which a different repetitive element (the subtelomeric element) replaces telomeres. Using genetics and fusions between shelterin components and rDNA-binding proteins, we mapped the mechanism by which rDNA loci engage crucial end protection factors-despite the absence of telomere repeats-and secure end protection. Sequence analysis of HAATIrDNA genomes allowed us to propose RNA and DNA polymerase template-switching models for the mechanism of RNAi-triggered rDNA translocations. Collectively, our results reveal unforeseen roles for noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in assembling a telomere-free chromosome end protection device.
Assuntos
DNA Ribossômico , Heterocromatina , Interferência de RNA , Translocação Genética , Reparo do DNA , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/fisiologia , Rad51 Recombinase/fisiologia , Ribonuclease III/metabolismo , Ribonuclease III/fisiologia , Schizosaccharomyces/genética , Schizosaccharomyces/metabolismo , Proteínas de Schizosaccharomyces pombe/metabolismo , Proteínas de Schizosaccharomyces pombe/fisiologia , Complexo Shelterina , Telômero , Proteínas de Ligação a Telômeros/metabolismo , Sequências Repetidas TerminaisRESUMO
Deficiency in chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1) in plants through dysfunction of its components, FASCIATA1 and 2 (FAS1, FAS2), leads to the specific and progressive loss of rDNA and telomere repeats in plants. This loss is attributed to defective repair mechanisms for the increased DNA breaks encountered during replication, a consequence of impaired replication-dependent chromatin assembly. In this study, we explore the role of KU70 in these processes. Our findings reveal that, although the rDNA copy number is reduced in ku70 mutants when compared with wild-type plants, it is not markedly affected by diverse KU70 status in fas1 mutants. This is consistent with our previous characterisation of rDNA loss in fas mutants as a consequence part of the single-strand annealing pathway of homology-dependent repair. In stark contrast to rDNA, KU70 dysfunction fully suppresses the loss of telomeres in fas1 plants and converts telomeres to their elongated and heterogeneous state typical for ku70 plants. We conclude that the alternative telomere lengthening pathway, known to be activated in the absence of KU70, overrides progressive telomere loss due to CAF-1 dysfunction.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis , Fator 1 de Modelagem da Cromatina , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA , Homeostase do Telômero , Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Arabidopsis/fisiologia , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Fator 1 de Modelagem da Cromatina/metabolismo , Fator 1 de Modelagem da Cromatina/genética , DNA Ribossômico/genética , DNA Ribossômico/metabolismo , Mutação , Telômero/metabolismo , Telômero/genética , Cromossomos de Plantas/metabolismoRESUMO
About 10% of cancer cells employ the "alternative lengthening of telomeres" (ALT) pathway instead of re-activating the hTERT subunit of human telomerase. The hTR RNA subunit is also abnormally silenced in some ALT+ cells not expressing hTERT, suggesting a possible negative non-canonical impact of hTR on ALT. Indeed, we show that ectopically expressed hTR reduces phosphorylation of ssDNA-binding protein RPA (p-RPAS33 ) at ALT telomeres by promoting the hnRNPA1- and DNA-PK-dependent depletion of RPA. The resulting defective ATR checkpoint signaling at telomeres impairs recruitment of the homologous recombination protein, RAD51. This induces ALT telomere fragility, increases POLD3-dependent C-circle production, and promotes the recruitment of the DNA damage marker 53BP1. In ALT+ cells that naturally retain hTR expression, NHP2 H/ACA ribonucleoprotein levels are downregulated, likely in order to restrain DNA damage response (DDR) activation at telomeres through reduced 53BP1 recruitment. This unexpected role of NHP2 is independent from hTR's non-canonical function in modulating telomeric p-RPAS33 . Collectively, our study shines new light on the interference between telomerase- and ALT-dependent pathways and unravels a crucial role for hTR and NHP2 in DDR regulation at ALT telomeres.
Assuntos
Proteínas Nucleares/biossíntese , RNA/genética , Ribonucleoproteínas Nucleares Pequenas/biossíntese , Telomerase/genética , Homeostase do Telômero/fisiologia , Telômero/genética , Dano ao DNA/genética , Reparo do DNA/genética , Proteína Quinase Ativada por DNA/metabolismo , Regulação para Baixo , Ribonucleoproteína Nuclear Heterogênea A1/metabolismo , Humanos , Neoplasias/genética , Rad51 Recombinase/metabolismoRESUMO
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALTs) mechanism is activated in some somatic, germ cells, and human cancer cells. However, the key regulators and mechanisms of the ALT pathway remain elusive. Here we demonstrated that ZBTB40 is a novel telomere-associated protein and binds to telomeric dsDNA through its N-terminal BTB (BR-C, ttk and bab) or POZ (Pox virus and Zinc finger) domain in ALT cells. Notably, the knockout or knockdown of ZBTB40 resulted in the telomere dysfunction-induced foci and telomere lengthening in the ALT cells. The results also show that ZBTB40 is associated with ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies, and the loss of ZBTB40 induces the accumulation of the ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies in U2OS cells. Taken together, our results implicate that ZBTB40 is a key player of telomere protection and telomere lengthening regulation in human ALT cells.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Ligação a DNA , Telômero , Humanos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero/genética , Ligação Proteica , DNA/metabolismo , Corpos Nucleares/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Técnicas de Inativação de Genes , Apoptose/genéticaRESUMO
Telomere length maintenance is crucial to cancer cell immortality. Up to 15% of cancers utilize a telomerase-independent, recombination-based mechanism termed alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Currently, the primary ALT biomarker is the C-circle, a type of circular DNA with extrachromosomal telomere repeats (cECTRs). How C-circles form is not well characterized. We investigated C-circle formation in the human cen3tel cell line, a long-telomere, telomerase+ (LTT+) cell line with progressively hyper-elongated telomeres (up to â¼100 kb). cECTR signal was observed in 2D gels and C-circle assays but not t-circle assays, which also detect circular DNA with extrachromosomal telomere repeats. Telomerase activity and C-circle signal were not separable in the analysis of clonal populations, consistent with C-circle production occurring within telomerase+ cells. We observed similar cECTR results in two other LTT+ cell lines, HeLa1.3 (â¼23 kb telomeres) and HeLaE1 (â¼50 kb telomeres). In LTT+ cells, telomerase activity did not directly impact C-circle signal; instead, C-circle signal correlated with telomere length. LTT+ cell lines were less sensitive to hydroxyurea than ALT+ cell lines, suggesting that ALT status is a stronger contributor to replication stress levels than telomere length. Additionally, the DNA repair-associated protein FANCM did not suppress C-circles in LTT+ cells as it does in ALT+ cells. Thus, C-circle formation may be driven by telomere length, independently of telomerase and replication stress, highlighting limitations of C-circles as a stand-alone ALT biomarker.
Assuntos
DNA Circular , Telomerase , Telômero , Humanos , DNA Helicases/metabolismo , Telomerase/metabolismo , Telômero/genética , Telômero/metabolismo , Homeostase do Telômero , Linhagem Celular , Células HeLa , Replicação do DNA , Hidroxiureia , Reparo do DNARESUMO
BACKGROUND & AIMS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the effects of pemvidutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/glucagon dual receptor agonist, on liver fat content (LFC) in subjects with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). METHODS: Subjects with a BMI ≥28.0 kg/m2 and LFC ≥10% by magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction were randomized 1:1:1:1 to pemvidutide at 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, or 2.4 mg, or placebo administered subcutaneously once weekly for 12 weeks. Participants were stratified according to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary efficacy endpoint was relative reduction (%) from baseline in LFC after 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: 94 subjects were randomized and dosed. Median baseline BMI and LFC across the study population were 36.2 kg/m2 and 20.6%; 29% of subjects had T2DM. At Week 12, relative reductions in LFC from baseline were (1.2 mg) 46.6% [95% CI -63.7 to -29.6], (1.8 mg) 68.5% [95% CI -84.4 to -52.5], and (2.4 mg) 57.1% [95% CI -76.1 to -38.1] versus 4.4% [95% CI -20.2 to 11.3] in placebo subjects (p <0.001 vs. placebo, all treatment groups), with 94.4% and 72.2% of subjects achieving 30% and 50% reductions in LFC and 55.6% achieving normalization (≤5% LFC) at the 1.8 mg dose. Maximal responses for weight loss (-4.3%; p <0.001), alanine aminotransferase (-13.8 IU/L; p = 0.029), and corrected cT1 (-75.9 ms; p = 0.002) were all observed at the 1.8 mg dose. Pemvidutide was well-tolerated at all doses with no severe or serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In subjects with MASLD, weekly pemvidutide treatment yielded significant reductions in LFC, markers of hepatic inflammation, and body weight compared to placebo. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: MASLD, and MASH, are strongly associated with overweight and obesity and it is believed that the excess liver fat associated with obesity is an important driver of these diseases. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists elicit weight loss through centrally and peripherally mediated effects on appetite. Unlike GLP-1R agonists, glucagon receptor (GCGR) agonists act directly on the liver to stimulate fatty acid oxidation and inhibit lipogenesis, potentially providing a more potent mechanism for liver fat content (LFC) reduction than weight loss alone. This study demonstrated the ability of once-weekly treatment with pemvidutide, a dual GLP-1R/GCGR agonist, to significantly reduce LFC, hepatic inflammatory activity, and body weight, suggesting that pemvidutide may be an effective treatment for both MASH and obesity. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT05006885.
RESUMO
DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a crucial mechanism that ensures chromosome stability and prevents the development of various human cancers. Apart from its role in correcting mismatches during DNA replication, MMR also plays a significant role in regulating recombination between non-identical sequences, a process known as homeologous recombination. Telomeres, the protective ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, possess sequences that are not perfectly homologous. While telomerase primarily maintains telomere length in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, recombination between telomeres becomes a major pathway for length maintenance in cells lacking telomerase. This study investigates the participation of MMR in telomere recombination. Our findings reveal that mutations in MMR genes activate type I recombination. Notably, among the MMR proteins, MutSα (Msh2 and Msh6) and MutLα (Mlh1 and Pms1) exerted the most pronounced effects on telomere recombination. We also found that yeast cells containing simple human telomeric TTAGGG DNA sequences preferentially utilize type II recombination to maintain their telomeres, highlighting the influence of the heterogeneous nature of yeast telomeric sequences on type II recombination. Furthermore, our observations indicate that MMR activity is indispensable for its impact on telomere recombination. Collectively, these results contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of MMR in telomere recombination.