skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Proteasome activity is important for replication recovery, CHK1 phosphorylation and prevention of G2 arrest after low-dose formaldehyde

Journal Article · · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

Formaldehyde (FA) is a human carcinogen with numerous sources of environmental and occupational exposures. This reactive aldehyde is also produced endogenously during metabolism of drugs and other processes. DNA–protein crosslinks (DPCs) are considered to be the main genotoxic lesions for FA. Accumulating evidence suggests that DPC repair in high eukaryotes involves proteolysis of crosslinked proteins. Here, we examined a role of the main cellular proteolytic machinery proteasomes in toxic responses of human lung cells to low FA doses. We found that transient inhibition of proteasome activity increased cytotoxicity and diminished clonogenic viability of FA-treated cells. Proteasome inactivation exacerbated suppressive effects of FA on DNA replication and increased the levels of the genotoxic stress marker γ-H2AX in normal human cells. A transient loss of proteasome activity in FA-exposed cells also caused delayed perturbations of cell cycle, which included G2 arrest and a depletion of S-phase populations at FA doses that had no effects in control cells. Proteasome activity diminished p53-Ser15 phosphorylation but was important for FA-induced CHK1 phosphorylation, which is a biochemical marker of DPC proteolysis in replicating cells. Unlike FA, proteasome inhibition had no effect on cell survival and CHK1 phosphorylation by the non-DPC replication stressor hydroxyurea. Overall, we obtained evidence for the importance of proteasomes in protection of human cells against biologically relevant doses of FA. Biochemically, our findings indicate the involvement of proteasomes in proteolytic repair of DPC, which removes replication blockage by these highly bulky lesions. - Highlights: • Proteasome inhibition enhances cytotoxicity of low-dose FA in human lung cells. • Active proteasomes diminish replication-inhibiting effects of FA. • Proteasome activity prevents delayed G2 arrest in FA-treated cells. • Proteasome inhibition exacerbates replication stress by FA in normal human cells. • Protective role of proteasomes is linked to repair of DNA–protein crosslinks.

OSTI ID:
22465788
Journal Information:
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 286, Issue 2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0041-008X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Cytotoxic Effects of Temozolomide and Radiation are Additive- and Schedule-Dependent
Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2009 · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics · OSTI ID:22465788

Inhibition of autophagy enhances DNA damage-induced apoptosis by disrupting CHK1-dependent S phase arrest
Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology · OSTI ID:22465788

ATM is required for rapid degradation of cyclin D1 in response to {gamma}-irradiation
Journal Article · Fri Jan 23 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:22465788