Nuclear condensation and free radical scavenging: a dual mechanism of bisbenzimidazoles to modulate radiation damage to DNA

Proton relative biological effectiveness for the induction of DNA double strand breaks based on Geant4

Uncertainties in the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of proton remains a major barrier to the biological optimization of proton therapy. A large amount of experimental data suggest that proton RBE is variable. As an evolving Monte Carlo code toolkit, Geant4-DNA is able to simulate the initial DNA damage caused by particle beams through physical and chemical interactions at the nanometer scale over a short period of time. This contributes to evaluating the radiobiological effects induced by ionizing radiation. Based on the Geant4-DNA toolkit, this study constructed a DNA geometric model containing 6.32Gbp, simulated the relationship between radiochemical yields (G-values) and their corresponding chemical constructors, and calculated a detailed calculation of the sources of damage and the complexity of damage in DNA strand breaks. The damage model constructed in this study can simulate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) in the proton Bragg peak region. The results indicate that: (1) When the electron energy is below 400 keV, the yield of OH·account for 18.1% to 25.3% of the total water radiolysis yields. (2) Under the influence of histone clearance function, the yield of indirect damage account for over 72.93% of the yield of DNA strand breaks (SBs). When linear energy transfer (LET) increased from 29.79 (keV/μm) to 64.29 (keV/μm), the yield of double strand breaks (DSB) increased from 17.27% to 32.65%. (3) By investigating the effect of proton Bragg peak depth on the yield of direct DSB (DSBdirect) and total DSB (DSBtotal), theRBEDSBtotandRBEDSBdirlevels of cells show that the RBE value of protons reaches 2.2 in the Bragg peak region.

Increased MCL-1 synthesis promotes irradiation-induced nasopharyngeal carcinoma radioresistance via regulation of the ROS/AKT loop

Worldwide, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare head and neck cancer; however, it is a common malignancy in southern China. Radiotherapy is the most important treatment strategy for NPC. However, although radiotherapy is a strong tool to kill cancer cells, paradoxically it also promotes aggressive phenotypes. Therefore, we mimicked the treatment process in NPC cells in vitro. Upon exposure to radiation, a subpopulation of NPC cells gradually developed resistance to radiation and displayed cancer stem-cell characteristics. Radiation-induced stemness largely depends on the accumulation of the antiapoptotic myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL-1) protein. Upregulated MCL-1 levels were caused by increased stability and more importantly, enhanced protein synthesis. We showed that repeated ionizing radiation resulted in persistently enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production at a higher basal level, further promoting protein kinase B (AKT) signaling activation. Intracellular ROS and AKT activation form a positive feedback loop in the process of MCL-1 protein synthesis, which in turn induces stemness and radioresistance. AKT/MCL-1 axis inhibition attenuated radiation-induced resistance, providing a potential target to reverse radiation therapy-induced radioresistance.

Akt1/NFκB signaling pathway activation by a small molecule DMA confers radioprotection to intestinal epithelium in xenograft model

Normal tissue protection and recovery of radiation-induced damage are of paramount importance for development of radioprotector. Radioprotector which selectively protects normal tissues over cancerous tissues improves the therapeutic window of radiation therapy. In the present study, small bisbenzimidazole molecule, DMA (5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-[2'-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-5'-benzimidazolyl]-benzimidazole) was evaluated for in vivo radioprotective effects to selectively protect normal tissue over tumor with underlying molecular mechanism. Administration of single DMA dose prior to radiation has enhanced survival of Balb/c mice against sublethal and supralethal total body irradiation. DMA ameliorated radiation-induced damage of normal tissues such as hematopoietic (HP) and gastrointestinal tract (GI) system. Oxidative stress marker Malondialdehyde level was decreased by DMA whereas it maintained endogenous antioxidant status by increasing the level of reduced glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione-s-transferase, superoxide dismutase and total thiol content in hepatic tissue of irradiated mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that DMA treatment prior to radiation leads to Akt1/NFκB signaling which reduced radiation-induced genomic instability in normal cells. However, these pathways were not activated in tumor tissues when subjected to DMA treatment in similar conditions. Abrogation of Akt1 and NFκB genes resulted in no radioprotection by DMA and enhanced apoptosis against radiation. Plasma half-life of DMA was 3.5h and 2.65h at oral and intravenous dose respectively and 90% clearance was observed in 16h. In conclusion, these data suggests that DMA has potential to be developed as a safe radioprotective agent for radiation countermeasures and an adjuvant in cancer therapy.

Radioprotective Agents: Strategies and Translational Advances

Radioprotectors are agents required to protect biological system exposed to radiation, either naturally or through radiation leakage, and they protect normal cells from radiation injury in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. It is imperative to study radioprotectors and their mechanism of action comprehensively, looking at their potential therapeutic applications. This review intimately chronicles the rich intellectual, pharmacological story of natural and synthetic radioprotectors. A continuous effort is going on by researchers to develop clinically promising radioprotective agents. In this article, for the first time we have discussed the impact of radioprotectors on different signaling pathways in cells, which will create a basis for scientific community working in this area to develop novel molecules with better therapeutic efficacy. The bright future of exceptionally noncytotoxic derivatives of bisbenzimidazoles is also described as radiomodulators. Amifostine, an effective radioprotectant, has been approved by the FDA for limited clinical use. However, due to its adverse side effects, it is not routinely used clinically. Recently, CBLB502 and several analog of a peptide are under clinical trial and showed high success against radiotherapy in cancer. This article reviews the different types of radioprotective agents with emphasis on the strategies for the development of novel radioprotectors for drug development. In addition, direction for future strategies relevant to the development of radioprotectors is also addressed.

DMA, a bisbenzimidazole, offers radioprotection by promoting NFκB transactivation through NIK/IKK in human glioma cells

BACKGROUND

Ionizing radiation (IR) exposure often occurs for human beings through occupational, medical, environmental, accidental and/or other sources. Thus, the role of radioprotector is essential to overcome the complex series of overlapping responses to radiation induced DNA damage.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Treatment of human glioma U87 cells with DMA (5- {4-methylpiperazin-1-yl}-2-[2'-(3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5'-benzimidazolyl] in the presence or absence of radiation uncovered differential regulation of an array of genes and proteins using microarray and 2D PAGE techniques. Pathway construction followed by relative quantitation of gene expression of the identified proteins and their interacting partners led to the identification of MAP3K14 (NFκB inducing kinase, NIK) as the candidate gene affected in response to DMA. Subsequently, over expression and knock down of NIK suggested that DMA affects NFκB inducing kinase mediated phosphorylation of IKKα and IKKβ both alone and in the presence of ionizing radiation (IR). The TNF-α induced NFκB dependent luciferase reporter assay demonstrated 1.65, 2.26 and 3.62 fold increase in NFκB activation at 10, 25 and 50 µM DMA concentrations respectively, compared to control cells. This activation was further increased by 5.8 fold in drug + radiation (50 µM +8.5 Gy) treated cells in comparison to control. We observed 51% radioprotection in control siRNA transfected cells that attenuated to 15% in siRNA NIK treated U87 cells, irradiated in presence of DMA at 24 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Our studies show that NIK/IKK mediated NFκB activation is more intensified in cells over expressing NIK and treated with DMA, alone or in combination with ionizing radiation, indicating that DMA promotes NIK mediated NFκB signaling. This subsequently leads to the radioprotective effect exhibited by DMA.

Factors influencing heterogeneity of radiation-induced DNA-damage measured by the alkaline comet assay

Background

To investigate whether different conditions of DNA structure and radiation treatment could modify heterogeneity of response. Additionally to study variance as a potential parameter of heterogeneity for radiosensitivity testing.

Methods

Two-hundred leukocytes per sample of healthy donors were split into four groups. I: Intact chromatin structure; II: Nucleoids of histone-depleted DNA; III: Nucleoids of histone-depleted DNA with 90 mM DMSO as antioxidant. Response to single (I-III) and twice (IV) irradiation with 4 Gy and repair kinetics were evaluated using %Tail-DNA. Heterogeneity of DNA damage was determined by calculation of variance of DNA-damage (V) and mean variance (Mvar), mutual comparisons were done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

Heterogeneity of initial DNA-damage (I, 0 min repair) increased without histones (II). Absence of histones was balanced by addition of antioxidants (III). Repair reduced heterogeneity of all samples (with and without irradiation). However double irradiation plus repair led to a higher level of heterogeneity distinguishable from single irradiation and repair in intact cells. Increase of mean DNA damage was associated with a similarly elevated variance of DNA damage (r = +0.88).

Conclusions

Heterogeneity of DNA-damage can be modified by histone level, antioxidant concentration, repair and radiation dose and was positively correlated with DNA damage. Experimental conditions might be optimized by reducing scatter of comet assay data by repair and antioxidants, potentially allowing better discrimination of small differences. Amount of heterogeneity measured by variance might be an additional useful parameter to characterize radiosensitivity.

New insight into the molecular mechanisms of the biological effects of DNA minor groove binders

BACKGROUND

Bisbenzimides, or Hoechst 33258 (H258), and its derivative Hoechst 33342 (H342) are archetypal molecules for designing minor groove binders, and widely used as tools for staining DNA and analyzing side population cells. They are supravital DNA minor groove binders with AT selectivity. H342 and H258 share similar biological effects based on the similarity of their chemical structures, but also have their unique biological effects. For example, H342, but not H258, is a potent apoptotic inducer and both H342 and H258 can induce transgene overexpression in in vitro studies. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Hoechst dyes induce apoptosis and enhance transgene overexpression are unclear.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

To determine the molecular mechanisms underlying different biological effects between H342 and H258, microarray technique coupled with bioinformatics analyses and multiple other techniques has been utilized to detect differential global gene expression profiles, Hoechst dye-specific gene expression signatures, and changes in cell morphology and levels of apoptosis-associated proteins in malignant mesothelioma cells. H342-induced apoptosis occurs in a dose-dependent fashion and is associated with morphological changes, caspase-3 activation, cytochrome c mitochondrial translocation, and cleavage of apoptosis-associated proteins. The antagonistic effect of H258 on H342-induced apoptosis indicates a pharmacokinetic basis for the two dyes' different biological effects. Differential global gene expression profiles induced by H258 and H342 are accompanied by unique gene expression signatures determined by DNA microarray and bioinformatics software, indicating a genetic basis for their different biological effects.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

A unique gene expression signature associated with H342-induced apoptosis provides a new avenue to predict and classify the therapeutic class of minor groove binders in the drug development process. Further analysis of H258-upregulated genes of transcription regulation may identify the genes that enhance transgene overexpression in gene therapy and promote recombinant protein products in biopharmaceutical companies.

DATA DEPOSITION

The microarray data reported in this article have been deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo (accession no.GSE28616).

125I-labeled quercetin as a novel DNA-targeted radiotracer

Quercetin is a major flavonoid that is found in most plants; it can intercalate with DNA. The purpose of this study was to investigate radiolabeling of qurecetin with (125)I, DNA binding and cellular process. In this work, quercetin was labeled with Auger emitting nuclide (125)I using chloramine-T. DNA binding of (125)I-quercetin ((125)I-Q) was investigated using cell-free in vitro assay with naked human genomic DNA in agarose plugs. Cellular uptake and nuclei accumulation were evaluated in human prostate cancer cell lines (DU 145). The internalization of (125)I-Q was evaluated with fluorescence microscopy. Cellular damage was monitored by using apoptosis assay. Quercetin was successfully labeled with (125)I, and it was taken up rapidly with cells and accumulated in the cellular nuclei. (125)I-Q-DNA binding was tight with long retention time, and it potentially induced DNA damage. These findings provide for using of (125)I-labeled quercetin as a carrier of Auger electron emitting radionuclide to the cell nuclei for targeted radiotherapy.

Modifying radiation damage

Radiation leaves a fairly characteristic footprint in biological materials, but this is rapidly all but obliterated by the canonical biological responses to the radiation damage. The innate immune recognition systems that sense "danger" through direct radiation damage and through associated collateral damage set in motion a chain of events that, in a tissue compromised by radiation, often unwittingly result in oscillating waves of molecular and cellular responses as tissues attempt to heal. Understanding "nature's whispers" that inform on these processes will lead to novel forms of intervention targeted more precisely towards modifying them in an appropriate and timely fashion so as to improve the healing process and prevent or mitigate the development of acute and late effects of normal tissue radiation damage, whether it be accidental, as a result of a terrorist incident, or of therapeutic treatment of cancer. Here we attempt to discuss some of the non-free radical scavenging mechanisms that modify radiation responses and comment on where we see them within a conceptual framework of an evolving radiation-induced lesion.