RNF4 is required for DNA double-strand break repair in vivo.

Unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) cause genetic instability that leads to malignant transformation or cell death. Cells respond to DSBs with the ordered recruitment of signaling and repair proteins to the sites of DNA lesions. Coordinated protein SUMOylation and ubiquitylation have crucial roles in regulating the dynamic assembly of protein complexes at these sites. However, how SUMOylation influences protein ubiquitylation at DSBs is poorly understood. We show herein that Rnf4, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets SUMO-modified proteins, accumulates in DSB repair foci and is required for both homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining repair. To establish a link between Rnf4 and the DNA damage response (DDR) in vivo, we generated an Rnf4 allelic series in mice. We show that Rnf4-deficiency causes persistent ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage and signaling, and that Rnf4-deficient cells and mice exhibit increased sensitivity to genotoxic stress. Mechanistically, we show that Rnf4 targets SUMOylated MDC1 and SUMOylated BRCA1, and is required for the loading of Rad51, an enzyme required for HR repair, onto sites of DNA damage. Similarly to inactivating mutations in other key regulators of HR repair, Rnf4 deficiency leads to age-dependent impairment in spermatogenesis. These findings identify Rnf4 as a critical component of the DDR in vivo and support the possibility that Rnf4 controls protein localization at DNA damage sites by integrating SUMOylation and ubiquitylation events.

[Assisted death in daily surgical practice--an interdisciplinary discussion with examples]. / Sterbehilfe im chirurgischen Alltag. Eine interdisziplinäre Diskussion anhand von Falldarstellungen.

New laws for assisted patient death in The Netherlands and Belgium have resulted in animated discussion about the permissibility of the practice in Germany. Physicians here are being confronted more and more by patients and their relatives with the wish for assisted death. Polls confirm that the majority of this population supports active death assistance, whereas doctors reject it. At a symposium in October 2002 (Clinically Assisted Death and Human Dignity-A Dutch-German Dialogue), case studies illustrating this question were presented. The present study compiles viewpoints of physicians, ethicists, theologians, jurist, politicians, and journalists.

Immediate early gene expression in dog thyrocytes in response to growth, proliferation, and differentiation stimuli.

In dog thyroid cells, insulin or IGF-1 induces cell growth and is required for the mitogenic action of TSH through cyclic AMP, of EGF, and of phorbol esters. HGF per se stimulates cell proliferation and is thus the only full mitogenic agent. TSH and cAMP enhance, whereas EGF phorbol esters and HGF repress differentiation expression. In this study, we have investigated for each factor and regulatory cascade of the intermediate step of immediate early gene induction, that is, c-myc, c-jun, jun D, jun B, c-fos, fos B, fra-1, fra-2, and egr1; fra-1 and fra-2 expressions were very low. TSH or forskolin increased the levels of c-myc, jun B, jun D, c-fos, and fos B while decreasing those of c-jun and egr1. Phorbol myristate ester stimulated the expression of all the genes. EGF and HGF stimulated the expression of all the genes except jun D and for EGF fos B. All these effects were obtained in the presence and in the absence of insulin, which shows that insulin is not necessary for the effects of the mitogens on immediate early gene expression. The definition of the repertoire of early immediate genes inductible by the various growth cascades provides a framework for the analysis of gene expression in tumors. (1) Insulin was able to induce all the protooncogenes investigated except fos B. This suggests that fos B could be the factor missing for insulin to induce mitogenesis. (2) No characteristic pattern of immediate early gene expression has been observed for insulin, which induces cell hypertrophy and is permissive for the action of the other growth factors. These effects are therefore not accounted for by a specific immediate early gene expression. On the other hand, insulin clearly enhances the effects of TSH, phorbol ester, and EGF on c-myc, junB, and c-fos expression. This suggests that the effect of insulin on mitogenesis might result from quantitative differences in the transcription complexes formed. (3) c-myc, c-fos, and jun B mRNA induction by all stimulating agents, whether inducing cell hypertrophy, or growth and dedifferentiation, or growth and differentiation, suggests that, although these expressions are not sufficient, they may be necessary for the various growth responses of thyroid cells. (4) The inhibition of c-jun and egr1 mRNA expression, and the marked induction of jun D mRNA appear to be specific features of the TSH cAMP pathway. They might be related to its differentiating action. (5) fos B, which is induced by TSH, forskolin, phorbol ester, and HGF but not by insulin, could be involved in the mitogenic action of the former factors.

IGF-1 or insulin, and the TSH cyclic AMP cascade separately control dog and human thyroid cell growth and DNA synthesis, and complement each other in inducing mitogenesis.

The regular doubling of cell mass, and therefore of cell protein content, is required for repetitive cell divisions. Preliminary observations have shown that in dog thyrocytes insulin induces protein accumulation but not DNA synthesis, while TSH does not increase protein accumulation but triggers DNA synthesis in the presence of insulin. We show here that EGF and phorbol myristate ester complement insulin action in the same way. HGF is the only factor activating both protein accumulation and DNA synthesis. The effects of insulin on protein accumulation and in permitting the TSH effect are reproduced by IGF-1 and are mediated, at least in part by the IGF-1 receptor. The concentration effect curves are similar for both effects. Similar results are obtained in human thyrocytes. They reflect true cell growth, as shown by increases in RNA content and cell size. Carbachol and fetal calf serum also stimulate protein synthesis and accumulation without triggering DNA synthesis, but they are not permissive for the mitogenic effects of TSH or of the general adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin. Moreover the mitogenic effect of TSH greatly decreased in cells deprived of insulin for 2 days although these cells remain hypertrophic. Hypertrophy may therefore be necessary for cell division, but it is not sufficient to permit it. Three different mechanisms can therefore be distinguished in the mitogenic action of TSH: (1) the increase of cell mass (hypertrophy) induced by insulin or IGF-1; (2) the permissive effect of insulin or IGF-1 on the mitogenic effect of TSH which may involve both the increase of cell mass and the induction of specific proteins such as cyclin D3 and (3) the mitogenic effect of the TSH cyclic AMP cascade proper.