Chromosomal radiosensitivity in breast cancer patients: influence of age of onset of the disease

The age dependency of onset of the disease on chromosomal radiosensitivity of an unselected group of breast cancer patients (n=100) was investigated and compared to a group of healthy women (n=100). The chromosomal radiosensitivity was assessed with the G2 and the G0 micro-nucleus (MN) assay. For the G2 assay lymphocytes were irradiated in vitro with a dose of 0.4 Gy 60Co gamma-rays after 70 h incubation and chromatid breaks were scored in 50 metaphases. For the G0 MN assay lymphocytes were exposed in vitro to 3.5 Gy 60Co gamma-rays at low dose rate (LDR). 72 h post-irradiation cultures were arrested and micronuclei were scored in 1000 binucleate cells. The results demonstrated that the group of breast cancer patients was more radiosensitive than a population of healthy women and this with both the G2 and the G0 MN assay. Analyses of the G2 and MN response in different age groups of the breast cancer patients revealed no significant differences in mean G2 and MN scores and suggest that the age of onset of the disease has no effect on chromosomal radiosensitivity in unselected breast cancer patients. Correlations with different clinical parameters were also investigated.     

HIV-1 Tat depresses DNA-PK(CS) expression and DNA repair, and sensitizes cells to ionizing radiation

PURPOSE: There is accumulating evidence that cancer patients with human immmunodeficiency virus-1/acquired immunodeficency syndrome (HIV-1/AIDS) have more severe tissue reactions and often develop cutaneous toxic effects when subjected to radiotherapy. Here we explored the effects of the HIV-1 Tat protein on cellular responses to ionizing radiation. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two Tat-expressing cell lines, TT2 and TE671-Tat, were derived from human rhabdomyosarcoma cells by transfecting with the HIV-1 tat gene. Radiosensitivity was determined using colony-forming ability. Gene expression was assessed by cDNA microarray and immunohybridization. The Comet assay and gamma-H2AX foci were use to detect DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and repair. Radiation-induced cell cycle changes were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The radiosensitivity of TT2 and TE671-Tat cells was significantly increased as compared with parental TE671 cells or the control TE671-pCI cells. Tat also increased proliferation activity. The comet assay and gammaH2AX foci detection revealed a decreased capacity to repair radiation-induced DNA DSBs in Tat-expressing cells. Microarray assay demonstrated that the DNA repair gene DNA-PKcs, and cell cycle-related genes Cdc20, Cdc25C, KIF2C and CTS1 were downregulated in Tat-expressing cells. Depression of DNA-PKcs in Tat-expressing cells was further confirmed by RT-PCR and immuno-hybridization analysis. Tat-expressing cells exhibited a prolonged S phase arrest after 4 Gy gamma-irradiation, and a noticeable delay in the initiation and elimination of radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest as compared with parental cells. In addition, the G(2)/M arrest was incomplete in TT2 cells. Moreover, HIV-1 Tat resulted in a constitutive overexpression of cyclin B1 protein. CONCLUSION: HIV-1 Tat protein sensitizes cells to ionizing radiation via depressing DNA repair and dysregulating cell cycle checkpoints. These observations provide new insight into the increased tissue reactions of AIDS cancer patients to radiotherapy.     

Determination of radiation-induced damage in lymphocytes using the micronucleus and microgel electrophoresis ‘Comet’ assays

DNA damage assays may be useful as rapid predictors of normal tissue radiosensitivity in clinical samples. We measured in vitro radiation-induced (2 Gy) damage to lymphocytes from cancer patients and normal healthy donors using both the micronucleus and microgel electrophoresis (Comet) assays simultaneously. For damage assessment, there was a good correlation (P < 0.001) between the mean comet lengths and the fraction of cells with comets. There was no correlation with initial damage, determined as the proportion of cells within a sample that formed comets, in comparison with the mean frequency of micronuclei per binucleate cell. However, there appeared to be an association between the determination of repair proficiency in the Comet assay and the mean frequency of micronuclei per binucleate cell in lymphocytes from cancer patients.     

Normal expression of DNA repair proteins, hMre11, Rad50 and Rad51 but protracted formation of Rad50 containing foci in X-irradiated skin fibroblasts from radiosensitive cancer patients

About 5% of oncology patients treated by radiation therapy develop acute or late radiotoxic effects whose molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the potential role of DNA repair proteins in the hypersensitivity of cancer patients to radiation therapy. The expression levels and focal nuclear distribution of DNA repair proteins, hMre11, Rad50 and Rad51 were investigated in skin fibroblasts strains derived from cancer patients with adverse early skin reaction to radiotherapy using Western blot and foci immunofluorescence techniques, respectively. Cells from cancer patients with normal reaction to radiotherapy as well as cells from apparently healthy subjects served as controls. Cellular radiosensitivity after in vitro irradiation was assessed by the clonogenic survival assay. The clonogenic survival assay and Western blot analysis of the DNA repair proteins did not reveal any abnormalities in cellular radiosensitivity in vitro and in protein expression levels or their migration patterns in the fibroblasts derived from cancer patients with hypersensitive reaction to radiotherapy. In contrast, in vitro irradiated cells from radiosensitive patients exhibited a significantly higher number of nuclei with focally concentrated Rad50 protein than in both control groups. The observed alteration of the distribution of radiation-induced Rad50 foci in cells derived from cancer patients with acute side reactions to radiotherapy might contribute to their radiation therapy outcome. These data suggest the usefulness of the Rad50 foci analysis for predicting clinical response of cancer patients to radiotherapy.     

Radiation-induced DNA damage and repair in lymphocytes from breast cancer patients and their correlation with acute skin reactions to radiotherapy

PURPOSE: Repair of radiation-induced DNA damage plays a critical role for both the susceptibility of patients to side effects after radiotherapy and their subsequent cancer risk. The study objective was to evaluate whether DNA repair data determined in vitro are correlated with the occurrence of acute side effects during radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy after a breast-conserving surgery were recruited in a prospective epidemiologic study. As an indicator for clinical radiosensitivity, adverse reactions of the skin were recorded. Cryo-preserved lymphocytes from 113 study participants were gamma-irradiated with 5 Gy in vitro and analyzed using the alkaline comet assay. Reproducibility of the assay was determined by repeated analysis (n = 26) of cells from a healthy donor. A coefficient of variation of 0.3 was calculated. RESULTS: The various parameters determined to characterize the individual DNA repair capacity showed large differences between patients. Eleven patients were identified with considerably enhanced DNA damage induction, and 7 patients exhibited severely reduced DNA repair capacity after 15 and 30 min. Six patients were considered as clinically radiosensitive, indicated by moist desquamation of the skin after a total radiation dose of about 50 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: Using the alkaline comet assay as described here, breast cancer patients were identified showing abnormal cellular radiation effects, but this repair deficiency corresponded only at a very limited extent to the acute radiation sensitivity of the skin. Because impaired DNA repair could be involved in the development of late irradiation effects, individuals exhibiting severely reduced DNA repair capacity should be followed for the development of late clinical symptoms.     

Clinical radiosensitivity in breast cancer patients carrying pathogenic ATM gene mutations: no observation of increased radiation-induced acute or late effects.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Reports on increased late subcutaneous toxicity after radiation therapy (RT) in breast cancer patients carrying ATM gene mutations has raised concerns about RT as part of the management in these patients. The impact of ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) heterozygosity on clinical radiosensitivity remains a matter of debate while clinical data are scarce. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between September 1995 and December 2002 genomic DNA samples were collected from 1100 unselected breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy at our department. Using mutation-specific assays, we screened for frequent ATM gene mutations. Analysis of acute and late radiation-related toxicity for skin and subcutaneous normal tissue was performed in patients identified as A-T heterozygotes applying common toxicity criteria (CTC) and LENT/SOMA (late effects on normal tissue/subjective objective management analytic) scoring criteria, respectively. RESULTS: Eleven patients were identified to be heterozygous for a pathogenic ATM gene mutation. Ten patients had received at least one course of RT. Median follow-up after completion of radiotherapy was 5.1 years (range 1.7-7.2). There was no evidence of increased radiation-induced acute or late skin or subcutaneous reactions in patients treated with linac-based RT. One patient failed distantly and was subsequently irradiated at four different sites for bone and brain metastases. Local relapse occurred in the single patient who had declined adjuvant RT following breast conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not provide evidence for a relative contraindication to adjuvant RT in A-T heterozygous breast cancer patients. Due to their increased cellular radiosensitivity, these patients may differentially benefit from RT and qualify for dose and volume reduction trials.     

Sepantronium is a DNA damaging agent that synergizes with PLK1 inhibitor volasertib

In a search for novel agents that boost the anti-neoplastic effects of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor volasertib, we found that a sepantronium and volasertib combination at the nano mole concentration potently inhibited growth of various non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines than either drug alone in vitro. Combination use of volasertib with sepantronium inhibited adaptation of cells to polo arrest. Addition of sepantronium to volasertib prevented accumulation of survivin and cyclin B protein at a concentration causing no appreciable survivin down regulation. Sepantronium induced cell cycle arrest from G1 or G2/M phase. Further studies demonstrated DNA damage of cancer cells when they are treated with sepantronium, which is evidenced by induction of phospho-γH2AX. In line with induction of a DNA damage response in cancer cells, known DNA damage response sensors and transducers ATM, ATR, CHK1, CHK2, p53 are phosphorylated following drug treatment. Meanwhile, expression of CDKN1A, BAX and XRCC5 are induced at the mRNA level as determined by quantitative real time PCR. A single cell electrophoresis assay (Comet assay) of cells treated with sepantronium revealed severe DNA strand breaks. M-phase arrest does not increase the lethality of DNA damage by sepantronium as compared to G1 phase arrest. Knock down of survivin did not cause DNA damage. Hence, sepantronium is a DNA damaging agent that synergizes with volasertib and down-regulation of survivin is likely the consequence of DNA damage induced by sepantronium.     

Evidence of DNA repair/processing defects in cultured skin fibroblasts from breast cancer patients

Cultured skin fibroblasts from 14 breast cancer (BC) patients were compared with those from 8 healthy subjects and 4 ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) cases for sensitivity to low dose-rate (0.007 Gy/min) gamma-irradiation assessed by a colony-forming assay and for postirradiation DNA synthesis inhibition determined by the method of [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. Fibroblasts from all but two BC patients exhibited moderately enhanced radiosensitivity in the colony-forming assay, occupying an intermediate position between the controls and the A-T cases. Fibroblasts from the radiosensitive BC patients also showed an intermediate response with respect to radio-induced DNA synthesis inhibition compared with those from controls and A-T cases. In a host cell reactivation assay using an irradiated herpes simplex virus for plaque-forming ability, the fibroblasts from 7 BC patients, used as host cells, resulted in a significantly reduced (P < 0.0001) recovery of the virus relative to the 8 control fibroblasts, suggesting a deficiency in DNA repair in the former. A number of the BC fibroblasts analyzed in an assay for potentially lethal damage repair confirmed the repair deficiency in the fibroblasts from the BC patients. Defects in DNA repair and/or DNA processing after exposure to genotoxic agents would lead to genomic instability and hence would be responsible for cancer predisposition. Our data suggest that most BC patients may carry various genes resulting in such defects, and additional studies on normal cells from a larger cohort of BC patients and their family members are warranted to establish a connection between mutations or polymorphisms in specific DNA repair genes and susceptibility to breast cancer.     

Diallyl sulfide induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HeLa human cervical cancer cells through the p53, caspase- and mitochondria-dependent pathways

Diallyl sulfide (DAS), one of the main active constituents of garlic, causes growth inhibition of cancer cells in vitro and promotes immune responses in vivo in experimental settings. However, its effects on the induction of cell cycle and apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells are still unclear. The aims of this study were to explore the anti-cancer effects of DAS in HeLa human cervical cancer cells and to investigate the underlying mechanisms in vitro. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HeLa human cervical cancer cells were examined by the morphological changes, viability assay, 4',6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining, comet assay, Western blotting and confocal microscopy examination. The results showed that DAS treatment for 24-72 h resulted in a marked decrease in cell viability time- and dose-dependently. Flow cytometric analysis showed that a 48-h treatment of 75 μM DAS induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and sub-G1 phase (apoptosis) in HeLa cells. Typical apoptotic nucleus alterations were observed by fluorescence microscopy in HeLa cells after exposure to DAS using DAPI staining. Cells treated with different concentrations of DAS also showed changes typical of apoptosis such as morphological changes, DNA damage and fragmentation, dysfunction of mitochondria, cytochrome c release and increased expression of pro-caspase-3 and -9. DAS also promoted the release of AIF and Endo G from mitochondria in HeLa cells. In conclusion, DAS induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells through caspase- and mitochondria and p53 pathways providing further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of DAS action in cervical cancer. This study, therefore, revealed that DAS significantly inhibits the growth and induces apoptosis of human cervical cancer HeLa cells in vitro.     

Correlation between DNA repair capacity in lymphocytes and acute side effects to skin during radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Repair of radiation-induced DNA damage plays a critical role for both the susceptibility of patients to side effects after radiotherapy and their subsequent cancer risk. The study objective was to evaluate whether DNA repair data determined in vitro are correlated with the occurrence of acute side effects during radiotherapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Nasopharyngeal cancer patients receiving radiation therapy were recruited in a prospective epidemiologic study. As an indicator for clinical radiosensitivity, adverse reactions of the skin were recorded. Cryopreserved lymphocytes from 100 study participants were gamma-irradiated with 5 Gy in vitro and analyzed using the alkaline comet assay. Reproducibility of the assay was determined by repeated analysis (n = 22) of cells from a healthy donor. A coefficient of variation of 0.24 was calculated. RESULTS: The various parameters determined to characterize the individual DNA repair capacity showed large differences between patients. Twenty-one patients were identified with considerably enhanced DNA damage induction, and 19 patients exhibited severely reduced DNA repair capacity after 15 and 30 minutes. Eight patients were considered as clinically radiosensitive, indicated by moist desquamation of the skin after a total radiation dose of 70 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: Using the alkaline comet assay as described here, nasopharyngeal cancer patients were identified showing abnormal cellular radiation effects, but this repair deficiency corresponded only at a very limited extent to the acute radiation sensitivity of the skin.     

体内碱性彗星试验与微核试验联合测定甲磺酸乙酯遗传毒性方法的建立

目的：建立彗星试验与微核试验结合的检测方法,应用其评价甲磺酸乙酯（EMS）对大鼠的遗传毒性。方法：试验设置阴性对照组（0.9%的生理盐水）及EMS低（50 mg/kg）、中（100 mg/kg）、高（200 mg/kg）剂量组,共4组,每组5只雄性SD大鼠,分别在0、24、48和69 h经口灌胃1次性给予受试物,在末次给药后3 h进行外周血采样,外周血经固定、洗脱、荧光染色后进行微核试验采用流式细胞术测定网织红细胞微核率;然后处死动物进行肝脏、肾脏和胃组织的取样,样品经单细胞悬液制备、制片、裂解、解旋电泳及染色后,应用Comet Assay IV软件进行彗星试验数据的收集。结果：彗星试验中,50、100和200 mg/kg EMS染毒组肝脏、肾脏和胃的尾DNA百分含量与阴性对照组相比均显著增加,且呈剂量反应关系（r=0.93,P<0.05）;微核试验中,EMS高剂量组骨髓毒性太大未收集到足够的细胞用于检测,仅EMS中剂量组外周血网织红细胞微核率较对照组显著增加（P<0.01）。结论：初步建立了大鼠多靶器官彗星试验方法;在同一试验中彗星试验和微核试验联合可节省动物数量,提高试验效率。     

The novel DNA alkylating agent BO-1090 suppresses the growth of human oral cavity cancer in xenografted and orthotopic mouse models

Oral cancer is the fourth-most common cause of death in males and overall the sixth-most common cause of cancer death in Taiwan. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined with other therapies are the most common treatments for oral cavity cancer. Although cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and docetaxel are commonly used clinically, there is no drug specific for oral cavity cancer. Here, we demonstrated that derivatives of 3a-aza-cyclopenta[a]indene, a class of newly synthesized alkylating agents, may be drugs more specific for oral cancer based on its potent in vitro cytotoxicity to oral cancer cells and on in vivo xenografts. Among them, BO-1090, bis(hydroxymethyl)-3a-aza-cyclopenta[a]indene derivative, targeted DNA for its cytotoxic effects as shown by inhibition of DNA synthesis (bromodeoxyuridine-based DNA synthesis assay), induction of DNA crosslinking (alkaline gel shift assay), and induction of DNA single-stranded breaks (Comet assay) and double-stranded breaks (γ-H2AX focus formation). Following DNA damage, BO-1090 induced G1/S-phase arrest and apoptosis in oral cancer cell lines. The therapeutic potential of BO-1090 was tested in mice that received a xenograft of oral cavity cancer cell lines (SAS or Cal 27 cells). Intravenous injection of BO-1090 significantly suppressed tumor growth in comparison to control mice. BO-1090 also significantly reduced the tumor burden in orthotopic mouse models using SAS cells. There was no significant adverse effect of BO-1090 treatment with this dosage based on whole blood count, biochemical enzyme profiles in plasma and histopathology of various organs in mouse. Taken together, our current results demonstrate that B0-1090 may have potential as a treatment for oral cavity cancer.     

Role of TGF-beta1 and nitric oxide in the bystander response of irradiated glioma cells

The radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) increases the probability of cellular response and therefore has important implications for cancer risk assessment following low-dose irradiation and for the likelihood of secondary cancers after radiotherapy. However, our knowledge of bystander signaling factors, especially those having long half-lives, is still limited. The present study found that, when a fraction of cells within a glioblastoma population were individually irradiated with helium ions from a particle microbeam, the yield of micronuclei (MN) in the nontargeted cells was increased, but these bystander MN were eliminated by treating the cells with either aminoguanidine (an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase) or anti-transforming growth factor beta1 (anti-TGF-beta1), indicating that NO and TGF-beta1 are involved in the RIBE. Intracellular NO was detected in the bystander cells, and additional TGF-beta1 was detected in the medium from irradiated T98G cells, but it was diminished by aminoguanidine. Consistent with this, an NO donor, diethylamine nitric oxide (DEANO), induced TGF-beta1 generation in T98G cells. Conversely, treatment of cells with recombinant TGF-beta1 could also induce NO and MN in T98G cells. Treatment of T98G cells with anti-TGF-beta1 inhibited the NO production when only 1% of cells were targeted, but not when 100% of cells were targeted. Our results indicate that, downstream of radiation-induced NO, TGF-beta1 can be released from targeted T98G cells and plays a key role as a signaling factor in the RIBE by further inducing free radicals and DNA damage in the nontargeted bystander cells.     

Lymphocyte radiosensitivity correlated with pelvic radiotherapy morbidity

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that, before treatment, prostate cancer patients who demonstrate a high yield of ex vivo radiation-induced micronucleus (MN) in G(0) lymphocytes represent a patient population with a greater-than-average risk of developing radiotherapy (RT)-related morbidity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We prospectively conducted the cytokinesis-block MN assay of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) in 38 prostate cancer patients. Before the initiation of RT, PBLs from each patient were irradiated (1-4 Gy). The mean patient age +/- SEM was 68.7 +/- 1.0 years. The clinical stage was T1 in 17, T2 in 15, and T3 in 6. The preoperative prostate-specific antigen level was < or =4 ng/mL in 5, 4-10 ng/mL in 18, and >10 ng/mL in 15. All patients underwent standardized pelvic external beam radiotherapy (range 41.4-50.4 Gy) and boost (range 16-26 Gy). The mean follow-up +/- SEM was 32.8 +/- 4.6 months. At the end of follow-up, a radiation oncologist scored the GI or GU morbidity according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria without knowledge of the MN data. RESULTS: We found that between the average reactors (n = 25; i.e., patients who had Grade 1 or less RT-related morbidity) and over reactors (n = 13; i.e., patients who developed Grade 2 or greater RT-related morbidity), the differences in the ex vivo radiation dose-response relationship of MN yield in PBLs were highly significant, especially at doses of > or =2 Gy. Also, the development of RT-related morbidity correlated with the radiation dose-response relationship of MN yield in PBLs before treatment, but did not correlate with any of the patients' clinical variables. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the pre-RT ex vivo radiation dose-response relationship of MN yield in PBLs may be a significant predictive factor for the development of GI or GU morbidity in prostate cancer patients after pelvic RT.     

miR-34s增强结直肠癌细胞对放射敏感性的作用研究

目的:探讨miR-34s对结直肠癌细胞放射敏感性的影响以及在电离辐射致DNA损伤中的作用。方法:利用实时荧光定量PCR（real-time quantitative fluorescence PCR,qRT-PCR）检测miR-34a/b/c-5p在结直肠癌细胞中的表达水平,以及电离辐射后miR-34a/b/c-5p表达水平变化趋势。基于克隆形成法和单击多靶模型建立细胞存活曲线,分析miR-34a/b/c-5p对结直肠癌细胞放射敏感性的影响。过表达miR-34a/b/c-5p并进行照射,利用免疫荧光法检测照射后γH2AX焦点形成情况,进而分析miR-34a/b/c-5p对电离辐射致DNA损伤的作用。结果:miR-34a/b/c-5p在HCT116细胞中的表达水平明显高于HT29细胞（P＜0.05）。HCT116细胞经4 Gy照射后24 h内,miR-34a/b/c-5p表达水平呈双峰变化趋势。与miR-NC组相比,过表达miR-34a/b/c-5p可显著增加结直肠癌细胞的放射敏感性,miR-34a/b/c-5p组细胞平均致死剂量（D0）和准阈值剂量（Dq）均明显降低,且辐射增敏比（SER）明显增加。过表达miR-34a/b/c-5p可显著增加电离辐射诱导的DNA双链断裂（double strand breaks,DSBs）水平,照射后1 h和8 h γH2AX焦点数明显高于miR-NC组（P＜0.05）。结论:miR-34s为放射响应miRNA分子,过表达miR-34s可增加电离辐射诱导的DNA损伤水平并增强结直肠癌细胞的放射敏感性。     

Defective Repair of UV-induced DNA Damage in Cultured Primary Skin Fibroblasts from Saudi Thyroid Cancer Patients

This study was conducted to examine the sensitivity of primary skin fibroblasts from Saudi thyroid cancer (TC) ‍patients to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Cell survival was studied by a colony forming assay and DNA repair defects ‍with a host cell reactivation (HCR) assay using UV-irradiated Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). In addition, p53 gene ‍expression was examined in the same TC cells exhibiting enhanced radiosensitivity. Skin fibroblasts from TC patients ‍(n=4) showed significantly enhanced sensitivity to UV radiation. The average UV dose to reduce survival to 37% of ‍the initial survival (D37) value (in Jm-2) for fibroblasts from TC patients was 4.6 (3.7-5.6) compared to 7.3 (6.3-8.3) for ‍healthy individuals (n=3). UV-sensitive xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) cells, which were used as positive control, ‍were found to be extremely sensitive with a D37 value of 0.6 Jm-2. In a host cell reactivation assay, UV-irradiated ‍HSV was tested for its plaque-forming ability (PFA), by plating infected fibroblasts from TC patients (used as host ‍cells) on African Green Monkey (Vero) kidney cells to form plaques. A significant reduction in the PFA of the UVirradiated ‍virus (about three fold) on TC cells compared to fibroblasts from the healthy subjects was seen, suggesting ‍a DNA-repair deficiency in the primary fibroblasts of the TC patients. Furthermore, no significant accumulation in ‍radiation-induced p53 expression was observed in cells from the TC patients. Our results, based on a relatively ‍small group of subjects, indicate that Saudi TC patients primary fibroblasts (non-cancerous in nature) may be ‍carriers of cancer-susceptible gene(s) arising from defective DNA repair/processing. These results warrant a larger ‍study to investigate the role of UV-induced bulky DNA damage in thyroid cancer susceptibility. ‍     

Enhancement of Radiosensitivity by Eurycomalactone in Human NSCLC Cells Through G₂ /M Cell Cycle Arrest and Delayed DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

Radiotherapy (RT) is an important treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the major obstacles to successful RT include the low radiosensitivity of cancer cells and the restricted radiation dose, which is given without damaging normal tissues. Therefore, the sensitizer that increases RT efficacy without dose escalation will be beneficial for NSCLC treatment. Eurycomalactone (ECL), an active quassinoid isolated from Eurycoma longifolia Jack, has been demonstrated to possess anticancer activity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of ECL on sensitizing NSCLC cells to X-radiation (X-ray) as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that ECL exhibited selective cytotoxicity against the NSCLC cells A549 and COR-L23 compared to the normal lung fibroblast. Clonogenic survival results indicated that ECL treatment prior to irradiation synergistically decreased the A549 and COR-L23 colony number. ECL treatment reduced the expression of cyclin B1 and CDK1/2 leading to induce cell cycle arrest at the radiosensitive G₂ /M phase. Moreover, ECL markedly delayed the repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In A549 cells, pretreatment with ECL not only delayed the resolving of radiation-induced -H2AX foci but also blocked the formation of 53BP1 foci at the DSB sites. In addition, ECL pretreatment attenuated the expression of DNA repair proteins Ku-80 and KDM4D in both NSCLC cells. Consequently, these effects led to an increase in apoptosis in irradiated cells. Thus, ECL radiosensitized the NSCLC cells to X-ray via G2 /M arrest induction and delayed the repair of X-ray-induced DSBs. This study offers a great potential for ECL as an alternative safer radiosensitizer for increasing the RT efficiency against NSCLC.     

Radiosensitization of p53 mutant cells by PD0166285, a novel G(2) checkpoint abrogator.

The lack of functional p53 in many cancer cells offers a therapeutic target for treatment. Cells lacking p53 would not be anticipated to demonstrate a G(1) checkpoint and would depend on the G(2) checkpoint to permit DNA repair prior to undergoing mitosis. We hypothesized that the G(2) checkpoint abrogator could preferentially kill p53-inactive cancer cells by removing the only checkpoint that protects these cells from premature mitosis in response to DNA damage. Because Wee1 kinase is crucial in maintaining G(2) arrest through its inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdc2, we developed a high-throughput mass screening assay and used it to screen chemical library for Wee1 inhibitors. A pyridopyrimidine class of molecule, PD0166285 was identified that inhibited Wee1 at a nanomolar concentration. At the cellular level, 0.5 microM PD0166285 dramatically inhibits irradiation-induced Cdc2 phosphorylation at the Tyr-15 and Thr-14 in seven of seven cancer cell lines tested. PD0166285 abrogates irradiation-induced G(2) arrest as shown by both biochemical markers and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis and significantly increases mitotic cell populations. Biologically, PD0166285 acts as a radiosensitizer to sensitize cells to radiation-induced cell death with a sensitivity enhancement ratio of 1.23 as shown by standard clonogenic assay. This radiosensitizing activity is p53 dependent with a higher efficacy in p53-inactive cells. Thus, G(2) checkpoint abrogators represent a novel class of anticancer drugs that enhance cell killing of conventional cancer therapy through the induction of premature mitosis.     

XRCC1399 and hOGG1326 Polymorphisms and Frequencies of Micronuclei,Comet and Chromosomal Aberrations among Tobacco Chewers: A South Indian Population Study

DNA repair plays a critical role in protecting the genome of the cell from the insults of cancer-causing agentssuch as those found in tobacco. Reduced DNA repair capacity may constitute a significant risk factor for cancers.Recently, a number of polymorphisms in several DNA repair genes have been discovered, these polymorphismsmay affect DNA repair capacity and thus modulate cancer susceptibility in exposed populations. In the presentstudy, we explored the relationship between polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene XRCC1399 and hOGG1326genotypes using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP) and risk ofcancer development. 156 smokeless tobacco users and 70 controls without significant exposure to mutagenswere recruited. Questionnaires were completed to obtain detailed occupational, smoking, and medical histories.A standard micronucleus assay, comet assay and chromosomal aberration assays were used as a marker ofgenetic damage. There were significant differences in the micronucleus (MN), Comet scores and chromosomalaberrations (CA) between smokeless tobacco users and control subjects by Student’s t-test (P<0.05). Thesefindings provide evidence for the view that polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may modify individualsusceptibility to tobacco related cancers and justify additional studies to investigate their potential role indevelopment of cancer.     

Radiation sensitivity of cell strains from families with genetic disorders predisposing to radiation-induced cancer

This investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that skin fibroblasts from patients with genetic disorders characterized by hypersusceptibility to X-ray-induced cancer are sensitive to the cytotoxic or clastogenic effects of X-irradiation in vitro. Cell strains were established from 28 specifically ascertained patients from families with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, retinoblastoma, or other disorders apparently predisposing to radiation-induced cancer. These included 10 patients with a clear personal or family history of radiation-induced tumors. These cell strains were examined for the cytotoxic effects of X-irradiation in 3 distinct series of separate, blinded experiments, along with a group of 9 similarly coded cell bank controls. Cells from 11 of these patients and 6 controls were studied for sensitivity to X-ray-induced chromosomal aberrations. Seven of the 37 cell strains were moderately hypersensitive to radiation-induced cell killing; 2 of these were from patients with radiation-induced tumors and 1 was a cell bank control. These results suggest that such isolated cases of hypersensitivity probably do not relate to the underlying genetic disorder. Overall, the X-ray response of cells from affected individuals in this study showed no systematic difference from that of cells from nonaffected relatives or cell bank controls for either cytotoxicity or clastogenicity.