p53-Mediated apoptosis is the primary cause of radiation sensitivity in ataxia-telangiectasia
- Yale Univ. School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (United States)
The autosomal recessive disease ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is characterized by ataxia, immune defects, genetic instability and cancer. A cardinal feature of A-T is a marked sensitivity to the killing effects of ionizing radiation. However, repair of DNA damage in A-T cells is grossly normal and the cause of the radiation sensitivity has remained puzzling despite numerous investigations. We now report that p53-mediated apoptosis is primarily responsible for the radiation sensitivity of A-T cells. We exposed representing three different complementation groups as well as two control cell lines to 0, 1.5 and 3 Gy of 250 kv X-radiation. Morphologic changes, the appearance of cells with sub-G{sub 1} DNA content and presence of nucleosome ladders in genomic DNA were considered evidence of apoptosis. By all three criteria, apoptosis was detectable in the A-T cells 24-48 hours after irradiation, peaking by 72 hours. In contrast, control cells underwent minimal apoptosis. Similar results were obtained with 24 hours` exposure to 0.25-0.5 ng/ml streptonigrin, a radiomimetic mutagen. Disruption of p53 function in an A-T fibroblast line by transfection of either the dominant-negative p53{sup 143ala} mutant or an HPV18 E6 gene was associated with acquisition of near-normal drug resistance and radiation-resistance, while transfection and expression of the p53{sup 143ala} mutant did not affect the streptonigrin sensitivity of a control fibroblast line. Our results support our hypothesis that an unusually low threshold for the activation of p53-mediated apoptosis by DNA damage may be the primary etiology for both in vivo and in vitro mutagen-sensitivity in A-T. These data also suggest an etiology for the neurological deterioration and immune defects seen in A-T patients: inappropriate activation of apoptosis by spontaneous DNA damage.
- OSTI ID:
- 133276
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941009-; ISSN 0002-9297; TRN: 96:005501
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 55, Issue Suppl.3; Conference: 44. annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Montreal (Canada), 18-22 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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