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H2AX is required for cell cycle arrest via the p53/p21 pathway.

ABSTRACT: Phosphorylation of H2AX (gammaH2AX) is an early sign of DNA damage induced by replication stalling. However, the role of H2AX in the repair of this type of DNA damage is still unclear. In this study, we used an inactivated adeno-associated virus (AAV) to induce a stalled replication fork signal and investigate the function of gammaH2AX. The cellular response to AAV provides a unique model to study gammaH2AX function, because the infection causes pannuclear H2AX phosphorylation without any signs of damage to the host genome. We found that pannuclear gammaH2AX formation is a result of ATR overactivation and diffusion but is independent of ATM. The inhibition of H2AX with RNA interference or the use of H2AX-deficient cells showed that gammaH2AX is dispensable for the formation and maintenance of DNA repair foci induced by stalled replication. However, in the absence of H2AX, the AAV-containing cells showed proteosome-dependent degradation of p21, followed by caspase-dependent mitotic catastrophe. In contrast, H2AX-proficient cells as well as H2AX-complemented H2AX(-/-) cells reacted by increasing p21 levels and arresting the cell cycle. The results establish a new role for H2AX in the p53/p21 pathway and indicate that H2AX is required for p21-induced cell cycle arrest after replication stalling.

SUBMITTER: Fragkos M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2682023 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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H2AX is required for cell cycle arrest via the p53/p21 pathway.

Fragkos Michalis M Jurvansuu Jaana J Beard Peter P

Molecular and cellular biology 20090309 10

Phosphorylation of H2AX (gammaH2AX) is an early sign of DNA damage induced by replication stalling. However, the role of H2AX in the repair of this type of DNA damage is still unclear. In this study, we used an inactivated adeno-associated virus (AAV) to induce a stalled replication fork signal and investigate the function of gammaH2AX. The cellular response to AAV provides a unique model to study gammaH2AX function, because the infection causes pannuclear H2AX phosphorylation without any signs ...[more]

PMID: 19273588

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Project description:The retinoblastoma protein RB and the transcription factor p53 are central tumor suppressors. They are often found inactivated in various tumor types. Both proteins play central roles in regulating the cell division cycle. RB forms complexes with the E2F family of transcription factors and downregulates numerous genes. Among the RB-E2F target genes, a large number code for key cell cycle regulators. Their transcriptional repression by the RB-E2F complex is released through phosphorylation of RB, leading to expression of the cell cycle regulators. The release from repression can be prevented by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21/CDKN1A. The CDKN1A gene is transcriptionally activated by p53. Taken together, these elements constitute the p53-p21-RB signaling pathway. Following activation of p53, for example by viral infection or induction of DNA damage, p21 expression is upregulated. High levels of p21 then result in RB-E2F complex formation and downregulation of a large number of cell cycle genes. Thus, p53-dependent transcriptional repression is indirect. The reduced expression of the many regulators leads to cell cycle arrest. Examination of the p53-p21-RB targets and genes controlled by the related p53-p21-DREAM signaling pathway reveals that there is a large overlap of the two groups. Mechanistically this can be explained by replacing RB-E2F complexes with the DREAM transcriptional repressor complex at E2F sites in target promoters. In contrast to RB-E2F, DREAM can downregulate genes also through CHR transcription factor binding sites. This results in a distinct gene set controlled by p53-p21-DREAM signaling independent of RB-E2F. Furthermore, RB has non-canonical functions without binding to E2F and DNA. Such a role of RB supporting DREAM formation may be exerted by the RB-SKP2-p27-cyclin A/E-CDK2-p130-DREAM link. In the current synopsis, the mechanism of regulation by p53-p21-RB signaling is assessed and the overlap with p53-p21-DREAM signaling is examined.

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H2AX is required for cell cycle arrest via the p53/p21 pathway.

Publications

H2AX is required for cell cycle arrest via the p53/p21 pathway.

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