UV-induced DNA repair synthesis in cells of patients with different forms of xeroderma pigmentosum and of heterozygotes

Abnormal regulation of DDB2 gene expression in xeroderma pigmentosum group E strains

A damage-specific DNA binding protein (DDB) activity is absent from a subset (DDB(-)) of cells from individuals initially classified as group E of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a hereditary, photosensitive disease with a high incidence of skin malignancies. In these cases, mutations have been identified in the DDB2 gene (DDB2(-)) that codes for the small subunit, p48, of the DDB heterodimer. In four DDB2(- )strains, neither p48 nor DDB activity were observed before or after UV-irradiation, despite an unusually strong up-regulation of DDB2 mRNA levels after UV-irradiation. In a fifth strain, XP82TO, p48 was detectable and both DDB2 mRNA and p48 levels were more up-regulated after UV-irradiation than in normal primary cells. Moreover, DDB activity also became apparent after irradiation. XP82TO showed very mild clinical manifestations compared with the other DDB(-) patients. These results, coupled with our findings that most, if not all DDB(+) cells classified as XP-E were misclassified, suggests a direct correlation between DDB2 levels and the XP-E phenotype.

Reinvestigation of the classification of five cell strains of xeroderma pigmentosum group E with reclassification of three of them

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a photosensitive syndrome caused by a defect in nucleotide excision repair or postreplication repair. Individuals of xeroderma pigmentosum group E (xeroderma pigmentosum E) have a mild clinical form of the disease and their cells exhibit a high level of nucleotide excision repair as measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis, as well as biochemical heterogeneity. Cell strains from one group of xeroderma pigmentosum E patients have normal damage-specific DNA binding activity (Ddb+), whereas others do not (Ddb-). Using a refinement of a previously reported cell fusion complementation assay, the previously assigned Ddb+ xeroderma pigmentosum E strains, XP89TO, XP43TO, and XP24KO, with various phenotypes in DNA repair markers, were reassigned to xeroderma pigmentosum group F, xeroderma pigmentosum variant, and ultraviolet-sensitive syndrome, respectively. The Ddb- xeroderma pigmentosum E strains, XP82TO, and GM02415B, which showed almost normal cellular phenotypes in DNA repair markers, however, remained assigned to xeroderma pigmentosum group E. With the exception of the Ddb+ strain XP89TO, which demonstrated defective nucleotide excision repair, both Ddb- and Ddb+ xeroderma pigmentosum E cells exhibited the same levels of variation in unscheduled DNA synthesis that were seen in normal control cells. By genome DNA sequencing, the two Ddb- xeroderma pigmentosum E strains were shown to have mutations in the DDB2 gene, confirming previous reports for XP82TO and GM02415B, and validating the classification of both cells. As only the Ddb- strains investigated remain classified in the xeroderma pigmentosum E complementation group, it is feasible that only Ddb- cells are xeroderma pigmentosum E and that mutations in the DDB2 gene are solely responsible for the xeroderma pigmentosum E group.

Hepatitis B virus X protein interferes with cellular DNA repair

The hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is a broadly acting transactivator implicated in the development of liver cancer. Recently, HBx has been reported to interact with several different cellular proteins, including our report of its binding to XAP-1, the human homolog of the simian repair protein UVDDB. In the present study, several HBx mutants were used to localize the minimal domain of HBx required for binding to XAP-1/UVDDB to amino acids 55 to 101. The normal function of XAP-1/UVDDB is thought to involve binding to damaged DNA, the first step in nucleotide excision repair (NER); therefore, we hypothesized that this interaction may affect the cell's capacity to correct lesions in the genome. When tested in two independent assays that measure NER (unscheduled DNA synthesis and host cell reactivation), the expression of HBx significantly inhibited the ability of cells to repair damaged DNA. Under the assay conditions, HBx was expressed at a level similar to that previously observed during natural viral infection and was able to transactivate several target reporter genes. These results are consistent with a model in which HBx acts as a cofactor in hepatocarcinogenesis by preventing the cell from efficiently repairing damaged DNA, thus leading to an accumulation of DNA mutations and, eventually, cancer. An adverse effect on cellular DNA repair processes suggests a new mechanism by which a tumor-associated virus might contribute to carcinogenesis.

Excision-repair patch lengths are similar for transcription-coupled repair and global genome repair in UV-irradiated human cells

We have used the buoyant density shift method to measure excision-repair patch lengths in UV-irradiated repair-proficient human cells and in primary fibroblasts belonging to xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XP-C), in which excision repair of UV-induced photoproducts is dependent upon transcription. The patch size was found to be about 30 nucleotides for both cell types. This agrees with the size of the DNA fragments excised in vitro by the dual incisions of the structure-specific nucleases XPG and ERCC1-XPF. We conclude that the XPC protein is not required to target the excision nucleases to sites of DNA cleavage in transcribed strands of expressed genes or to protect the newly incised DNA from further processing by exonucleases.

G2 phase repair of X-ray-induced chromosomal DNA damage in trichothiodystrophy cells

The repair of X-ray-induced DNA damage during G2 cell-cycle phase has been examined in lines of skin fibroblasts from three patients with trichothiodystrophy (TTD), one with apparently normal and two with defective nucleotide excision repair (NER). These responses are compared with those of five lines from clinically normal controls, lines from xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), Cockayne syndrome (CS), Down syndrome (DS), and ataxia telangiectasia (AT) patients. Chromosomal DNA repair was measured as the chromatid aberration frequency (CAF) or total number of chromatid breaks and long gaps per 100 metaphase cells, determined 0.5-1.5 h after X-irradiation (53 rad). Chromatid breaks and gaps (as defined herein) represent unrepaired DNA strand breaks. Only one of the TTD lines, TTD 1BR, showed an abnormally high CAF. This line was shown subsequently to be of a different complementation group, representing a new nucleotide excision repair gene. An abnormally high CAF was also observed, as reported previously, in XP-C, AT and DS but not in CS skin fibroblasts. In addition, cell lines were examined for DNA incision activity by an indirect method in which chromatid aberrations were enumerated with or without ara-C, an inhibitor of repair synthesis, added after X-irradiation. All TTD lines had abnormally low incision activity.

Intermittent hair loss in a child with PIBI(D)S syndrome and trichothiodystrophy with defective DNA repair-xeroderma pigmentosum group D

We describe a girl with photosensitivity (P), ichthyosis (I), brittle hair (B), impaired intelligence (I), possibly decreased fertility (D), and short stature (S). The clinical findings fit into the PIBI(D)S syndrome and trichothiodystrophy. A remarkable and probably unique observation for this disorder was the intermittent character of the scalp hair loss during infectious periods in this patient. Easy suntanning suggested photosensitivity and prompted DNA repair studies which demonstrated reduced UV-induced DNA repair synthesis. Subsequent studies have assigned this patient to xeroderma pigmentosum group D and suggested a specific deficiency of 6-4 photoproduct repair. An unaffected child was diagnosed in the next pregnancy of the mother.

Absence of DNA repair deficiency in the confirmed heterozygotes of xeroderma pigmentosum group A

This study was performed to elucidate whether xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA) carrier has DNA repair abnormality against sun-exposure and ultraviolet (UV)-mimetic chemical carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). Here we report three sporadic cases of XP that were defined as group A by genetic complementation test as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis to detect the point mutation in the responsible gene for XPA. DNA repair analyses in the skin fibroblasts revealed that the cells from the patients were much more sensitive to UV and 4NQO and had extremely low UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) than control cells, whereas the cells from the carriers (heterozygotes of XP) had sensitivity to UV and 4NQO and levels of UV-induced UDS similar to normal cells. These results indicate that the obligate heterozygotes, despite having a mutated allele in XPA complementing gene demonstrated by PCR, have no DNA repair abnormality after UV irradiation and UV-mimetic 4NQO treatment. Our observations imply that XPA heterozygotes do not have higher risk of skin cancers than normal subjects based on their DNA repair abnormality.

Xeroderma pigmentosum group A correcting protein from calf thymus

A proteinous factor was purified from calf thymus and HeLa cells, which specifically corrects the excision repair defect of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XP-A) cells. Recovery of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis after microinjection of XP-A cells was used as a quantitative assay for the correcting activity of protein preparations. XP-A correcting protein appears to be very stable as it withstands heating to 100 degrees C and treatment with SDS or 6 M urea. A molecular weight of 40-45 kD was found both under native (gel filtration) and denaturing (SDS-PAGE) conditions. Calf XP-A protein binds to single-stranded DNA more strongly than to double-stranded DNA, but shows no clear preference for UV-irradiated DNA. Polyclonal antibodies raised against human recombinant XP-A protein, which strongly inhibit UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis of normal human cells, completely abolished XP-A correcting activity when mixed with calf thymus preparations. This indicates a close relationship between human gene product and the calf protein. In the final preparation two main protein bands were present. Only one band at approx. 41 kD showed both DNA binding activity in Southwestern blots and immune reaction with human XP-A antibody, suggesting that this is the active calf XP-A correcting factor.

Chromosome rearrangements in normal fibroblasts from xeroderma pigmentosum homozygotes and heterozygotes

Chromosome analysis was carried out in cultured fibroblasts from unaffected skin of five unrelated xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients and nine family members. Structural chromosome changes were observed in cultures from all examined individuals. Furthermore, in one XPD patient and in one XPC patient and his parents, cytogenetically abnormal clones were detected. Some of these clones were present starting from the primary explant. This cytogenetic pattern is similar to that observed in an XPC patient previously studied by us. The analysis of breakpoint distribution from clonal and non-clonal chromosome rearrangements showed that some breakpoints were more frequent and common to different families or to different family members although definite evidence of preferential involvement of chromosome bands was not obtained. This investigation indicates that there is a consistent tendency toward chromosome instability in XP mutation carriers. The instability could be related to the multiple chromosome anomalies characterizing skin tumors in XP subjects.

Carrier detection in xeroderma pigmentosum

We were able to detect clinically normal carriers of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) genes with coded samples of either peripheral blood lymphocytes or skin fibroblasts, using a cytogenetic assay shown previously to detect individuals with cancer-prone genetic disorders. Metaphase cells of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T-lymphocytes from eight individuals who are obligate heterozygotes for XP were compared with those from nine normal controls at 1.3, 2.3, and 3.3 h after x-irradiation (58 R) during the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Lymphocytes from the XP heterozygotes had twofold higher frequencies of chromatid breaks or chromatid gaps than normal (P less than 10(-5)) when fixed at 2.3 or 3.3 h after irradiation. Lymphocytes from six XP homozygotes had frequencies of breaks and gaps threefold higher than normal. Skin fibroblasts from an additional obligate XP heterozygote, when fixed approximately 2 h after x-irradiation (68 R), had a twofold higher frequency of chromatid breaks and a fourfold higher frequency of gaps than fibroblasts from a normal control. This frequency of aberrations in cells from the XP heterozygote was approximately half that observed in the XP homozygote. The elevated frequencies of chromatid breaks and gaps after G2 phase x-irradiation may provide the basis of a test for identifying carriers of the XP gene(s) within known XP families.

Kinetic analysis of UV-induced incision discriminates between fibroblasts from different xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups, XPA heterozygotes and normal individuals

The capacity of a variety of human fibroblasts to incise DNA following exposure to far ultraviolet-light is determined from the rate of single-strand DNA break accumulation in the presence of DNA synthesis inhibitors. We have quantitated incision, one of the early steps in the UV excision repair pathway, in cells form normal, xeroderma pigmentosum groups C, D, G, H and variant individuals, and in the parents of one XPA patient. On the basis of the estimated initial rates of incision the different XP cells examined in this work can be ranked as follows: XP variant much greater than XPH greater than XPH greater than XPD greater than XPC greater than XPG greater than XPA. In each cell strain breaks accumulate immediately after irradiation over a range of 0.5-20 Jm-2 with the exception of the XPC strain examined, where there is an initial delay of 15 min. The rate of incision in XPA heterozygote cells is roughly half that of normal fibroblasts. Analysis of the kinetics of break accumulation over short intervals after irradiation permits estimation of the apparent enzymatic parameters, Km and Vmax, for the incision step. The approximate values of Km and Vmax for normal and XP variant are similar while for the heterozygotes of an XPA individual Km values are normal (around 1 Jm-2), but there is only half the amount of normal enzyme activity. XPD and H cells express low levels of active enzyme, between 5 and 15% of that of the normal, but while the Km of XPH is very similar to that of normal cells, that of two XPD strains examined is between 2- and 3-fold higher.

Enhanced transforming activity of pSV2 plasmids in human cells depends upon the type of damage introduced into the plasmid

When pSV2-gpt or pSV2-neo plasmids are introduced into human cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation, the yield of stable transformants (Gpt+ or Neo+) is increased by irradiating the respective plasmid DNA in vitro with UV (254 nm). To identify specific lesions that can increase the transforming activity of plasmids in human cells we examined pSV2 plasmids containing different types of damage. Of the lesions tested, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers produced the greatest increase, and can nearly fully account for the effect of 254 nm UV on transformation. The enhancement of transformation produced by UV was not altered by the additional treatment of the plasmid DNA with T4 endonuclease V, an enzyme that nicks DNA specifically at pyrimidine dimers. Treatment of plasmid DNA with osmium tetroxide to produce thymine glycols, or with acid and heat to produce apurinic sites did not affect transformation frequency. The enhancement occurred in all the human cell lines tested, whether they contained or not sequences homologous to those in the plasmids, and was independent of the repair capacity of the recipient cells.

Microinjection of Escherichia coli UvrA, B, C and D proteins into fibroblasts of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups A and C does not result in restoration of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis

The UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in cultured human fibroblasts of repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups A and C was assayed after injection of identical activities of either Uvr excinuclease (UvrA, B, C and D) from Escherichia coli or endonuclease V from phage T4. Under conditions where the T4 enzyme was able to induce repair synthesis in both XP complementation groups in agreement with earlier observations (de Jonge et al., 1985), no effect of the UvrABCD excinuclease could be observed either when the enzymatic complex was injected into the cytoplasm, or when it was delivered directly into the nucleus. In addition, no effect of the E. coli excinuclease was found on the repair ability of normal repair-proficient human fibroblasts. We conclude that the UvrABCD excinuclease may not work on DNA lesions in human chromatin.

Survival of UV-irradiated mammalian cells correlates with efficient DNA repair in an essential gene

The survival of UV-irradiated mammalian cells is not necessarily correlated with their overall capacity to carry out DNA repair. Human cells typically remove 80% of the pyrimidine dimers produced by a UV dose of 5 J/m2 within 24 hr. In contrast, a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line survives UV irradiation equally well while removing only 15% of the dimers. Using a newly developed technique to measure dimer frequencies in single-copy specific sequences, we find that the CHO cells remove 70% of the dimers from the essential dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene but only 20% from sequences located 30 kilobases or more upstream from the 5' end of the gene in a 24-hr period. Repair-deficient human cells from xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) are similar to the CHO cells in overall repair levels, but they are extremely sensitive to killing by UV irradiation. In the XPC cells, we find little or no repair in the DHFR gene; in contrast, in normal human fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes, greater than 80% of the dimers induced in the gene by 20 J/m2 are removed in 24 hr. Since the CHO and normal human cells exhibit similar UV resistance, much higher than that of XPC cells, our findings suggest a correlation between efficient repair of essential genes and resistance to DNA-damaging agents such as UV light.

Transient correction of excision repair defects in fibroblasts of 9 xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups by microinjection of crude human cell extracts

Crude extracts from human cells were microinjected into the cytoplasm of cultured fibroblasts from 9 excision-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) complementation groups. The level of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) was measured to determine the effect of the extract on the repair capacity of the injected cells. With a sensitive UDS assay procedure a (transient) increase in UV-induced UDS level was found in fibroblasts from all complementation groups after injection of extracts from repair-proficient (HeLa) or complementing XP cells (except in the case of XP-G), but not after introduction of extracts from cells belonging to the same complementation group. This indicates that the phenotypic correction is exerted by complementation-group-specific factors in the extract, a conclusion that is in agreement with the observation that different levels of correction are found for different complementation groups. The XP-G-correcting factor was shown to be sensitive to proteolytic degradation, suggesting that it is a protein like the XP-A factor.

Interspecies complementation analysis of xeroderma pigmentosum and UV-sensitive Chinese hamster cells

Complementation analysis was performed 24 h after fusion of UV-sensitive CHO cells (CHO 12 RO) with XP cells of complementation groups A, B, C, D, F and G. The parental cells are characterized by low levels of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS). In all combinations, the UDS levels observed in heterokaryons were higher than those in parental mutant cells, clearly indicating cooperation of human and Chinese hamster repair functions. In heterokaryons of CHO 12 RO with XP-A and XP-C cells, the UDS values reached about the normal human level, whereas in heterokaryons with XP-B, XP-D and XP-F, UDS was restored at a level approaching that in wild-type CHO cells. The results obtained after fusion of CHO cells with two representative cell strains from the XP-G group, XP 2 BI and XP 3 BR, were inconsistent. Fusion with XP 3 BR cells yielded UDS levels ranging from wild-type Chinese hamster to normal human, whereas fusion with XP 2 BI cells resulted in a slight increase in UDS which even after 48 h remained below the level found in wild-type CHO cells. The occurrence of complementation in these interspecies heterokaryons indicates that the genetic defect in the CHO 12 RO cells is different from the defects in the XP complementation groups tested.

Excision repair of UV- or benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-induced lesions in xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells is 'error free'

It is known that cells from one class of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients, called XP variants, carry out excision repair of UV-induced DNA damage at a normal rate and are only slightly more sensitive than normal cells to the cytotoxic effect of UV radiation, but are much more sensitive to the mutagenic effect of UV. To see if this hypermutability were the result of an 'error-prone', excision repair process, we irradiated fibroblasts derived from an XP variant patient, XP4BE, under conditions that allowed the cells various lengths of time for excision repair before the onset of DNA synthesis (S phase) and assayed the frequency of 6-thioguanine (TG)-resistant mutants. Cells synchronized by release from confluence (G0 state) and irradiated just prior to S phase showed a dose-dependent increase in mutants at very high frequencies; cells irradiated in early G1, approximately 12 h before the onset of S phase, showed frequencies 4 times lower. Cells irradiated in the G0 state and allowed 24 h or 48 h for excision repair before the onset of S phase showed still lower frequencies. A comparison of the relative rates of decrease in mutant frequency with time for excision repair before the onset of S phase in XP variant cells and normal human fibroblasts after a dose of 4 or 6 J/m2 showed that these were equal. However, for every time point, the frequency of mutants induced per dose of UV was significantly higher in the XP variant population than in the normal, suggesting that the XP variant cells have an abnormally error-prone process of replicating DNA on a template containing unexcised lesions or normal cells are by-passing many of such lesions using an error-free process. A similar comparative study in synchronized populations of XP4BE cells and normal cells, using the anti 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide of benzo[a]pyrene, showed that excision repair prior to the onset of S phase also decreased the frequency of mutants induced in XP variant cells by this agent. But for every dose and time point, the frequencies induced in XP4BE cells and normal cells were identical. Thus, the hypermutability of the XP4BE cells was specific to UV radiation-induced DNA lesions.

A mild form of xeroderma pigmentosum assigned to complementation group G and its repair heterogeneity

The specific heterodikaryon complementation results allowed us to allocate a 37-year-old female patient with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP31KO) to complementation group G of rare incidence. A mild form of XP31KO as the third group G patient manifested normal skin reaction to phototest, no physical or neuromental abnormalities, and a basal cell epithelioma, in contrast to the reference group G XP2BI. XP31KO cells showed 25% unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) after 10 J/m2 UV compared to less than 5% UDS in XP2BI cells and less hypersensitive responses to UV radiation and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide killings than did XP2BI cells. Such a repair phenotype of XP31KO presents an intragroup-G heterogeneity.

Microinjection of Micrococcus luteus UV-endonuclease restores UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in cells of 9 xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups

The UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in cultured cells of excision-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) complementation groups A through I was assayed after injection of Micrococcus luteus UV-endonuclease using glass microneedles. In all complementation groups a restoration of the UV-induced UDS, in some cells to the repair-proficient human level, was observed. Another prokaryotic DNA-repair enzyme, T4 endonuclease V, restored the UV-induced UDS in a similar way after microinjection into XP cells. Since both enzymes specifically catalyse only the incision of UV-irradiated DNA, we conclude that this activity is impaired in cells of all 9 excision-deficient XP complementation groups tested.

Assignment of 2 patients with xeroderma pigmentosum to complementation group E

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) fibroblast strains derived from XP24KO and XP26KO patients with mild clinical manifestations were similarly twice as sensitive to 254 nm UV killing as normal cells and had a reduced level of 30-55% unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) after irradiation with 10 J/m2. Complementation analysis in the hybridized heterodikaryons revealed that XP24KO and XP26KO cells were only unable to complement the reference XP2RO group E cells, despite sufficient complementation to give rise to the normal level of UV-induced UDS with cells of all the other reference XP groups. Nor did XP24KO cells complement XP26KO cells. Therefore, the above 2 unrelated XP patients were assigned to complementation group E. The present group E assignment is the first in Japan, and perhaps the second in the world, the first being the XP2RO/XP3RO second-cousin relationship in The Netherlands (now 4 patients in group E).

Enhanced transformation of human cells by UV-irradiated pSV2 plasmids

Irradiating the plasmid pSV2-gpt with UV (254 nm) doses up to 200 J m-2 caused a dose-dependent increase in the yield of Gpt+ transformants when the plasmid was introduced into human cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation. UV doses greater than 1 kJ m-2 were required to reduce the efficiency of transformation below that obtained with unirradiated DNA.

Enhanced transformation of human cells by UV-irradiated pSV2 plasmids

Irradiating the plasmid pSV2-gpt with UV (254 nm) doses up to 200 J m-2 caused a dose-dependent increase in the yield of Gpt+ transformants when the plasmid was introduced into human cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation. UV doses greater than 1 kJ m-2 were required to reduce the efficiency of transformation below that obtained with unirradiated DNA.

Microinjection of human cell extracts corrects xeroderma pigmentosum defect

Cultured fibroblasts of patients with the DNA repair syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) were injected with crude cell extracts from various human cells. Injected fibroblasts were then assayed for unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) to see whether the injected extract could complement their deficiency in the removal of u.v.-induced thymidine dimers from their DNA. Microinjection of extracts from repair-proficient cells (such as HeLa, placenta) and from cells belonging to XP complementation group C resulted in a temporary correction of the DNA repair defect in XP-A cells but not in cells from complementation groups C, D or F. Extracts prepared from XP-A cells were unable to correct the XP-A repair defect. The UDS of phenotypically corrected XP-A cells is u.v.-specific and can reach the level of normal cells. The XP-A correcting factor was found to be sensitive to the action of proteinase K, suggesting that it is a protein. It is present in normal cells in high amounts, it is stable on storage and can still be detected in the injected cells 8 h after injection. The microinjection assay described in this paper provides a useful tool for the purification of the XP-A (and possibly other) factor(s) involved in DNA repair.

Transformation of ultraviolet-irradiated human fibroblasts by simian virus 40 is enhanced by cellular DNA repair functions

Human fibroblasts irradiated with ultraviolet light were either tested for survival (colony formation) or infected with simian virus 40 and examined for transformation (foci formation). For normal cell cultures, the fractions of surviving colonies which were also transformed increased with increasing irradiation dose. In contrast, little increase in the transformation of ultraviolet-irradiated repair-deficient (xeroderma pigmentosum and xeroderma pigmentosum variant) cells was observed. Similar experiments with xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells treated with caffeine following irradiation indicated that, under these conditions, the deficient cells produced more transformants among the survivors of ultraviolet irradiation than did unirradiated cells. These results suggest (1) that DNA repair functions, not DNA damage per se, are required for enhanced viral transformation in normal cells; (2) that functions involved in excision repair and functions needed for replication of ultraviolet-damaged DNA appear necessary for this stimulation; and (3) that blocking DNA replication in ultraviolet-irradiated xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells by caffeine enhances viral transformation.

The post-UV colony-forming ability of normal fibroblast strains and of the xeroderma pigmentosum group G strain

In xeroderma pigmentosum, an inherited disorder of defective DNA repair, post-UV colony-forming ability of fibroblasts from patients in complementation groups A through F correlates with the patients' neurological status. The first xeroderma pigmentosum patient assigned to the recently discovered group G had the neurological abnormalities of XP. We have determined the post-UV colony-forming ability of cultured fibroblasts from this patient and from 5 more control donors. Log-phase fibroblasts were irradiated with 254 nm UV light from a germicidal lamp, trypsinized, and replated at known densities. After 2 to 4 weeks' incubation the cells were fixed, stained and scored for colony formation. The strains' post-UV colony-forming ability curves were obtained by plotting the log of the percent remaining post-UV colony-forming ability as a function of the UV dose. The post-UV colony-forming ability of 2 of the 5 new normal strains was in the previously defined control donor zone, but that of the other 3 extended down to the level of the most resistant xeroderma pigmentosum strain. The post-UV colony-forming ability curve of the group G fibroblasts was not significantly different from the curves of the group D fibroblast strains from patients with clinical histories similar to that of the group G patient.

Repair of damage by ultraviolet radiation in xeroderma pigmentosum cell strains of complementation groups E and F

The xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblast strains XP2RO, complementation group E, and XP23OS, group F, were compared with normal human primary fibroblasts with regard to repair of damage induced by 254-nm UV. In XP2RO cells, repair DNA synthesis, measured by autoradiography (unscheduled DNA synthesis = UDS), was about 50% of the value found in normal human cells. In these cells also the removal of UV-induced sites recognized by a specific UV-endonuclease proceeds at a reduced rate. By having BUdR incorporated into the repaired regions, followed by the induction of breaks in these patches by 313-nm UV, it was shown that the reduced repair synthesis is not caused by a shorter length of the repair regions in XP2RO, but is solely due to a reduction in the number of sites removed by excision repair. In XP23OS a discrepancy was observed between the level of UDS, which was about 10% of the normal value, and other repair-dependent properties such as UV survival, host-cell reactivation and removal of UV-endonuclease-susceptible sites, which were less reduced than could be expected from the UDS level. However, when UDS was followed over a longer period than the 2 or 3 h normally used in UDS analysis, it appeared that in XP23OS cells, the rate of UDS remained constant whereas the rate decreased in normal control cells. Consequently, the residual level of UDS varies with the period over which it is studied.

Differences in the levels of UV repair and in clinical symptoms in two sibs affected by xeroderma pigmentosum

UV-repair activity was studied in two sibs affected by XP showing different clinical symptoms. Complementation studies indicated that both patients fit into complementation group A. The levels of UV-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, in fibroblasts and in lymphocytes, are different in the two patients: residual level of repair DNA synthesis in the sister is higher than in the brother. In one of the cell samples analyzed UDS analysis showed that in the sister a low proportion of cells with normal repair synthesis is present.

Prenatal diagnosis of xeroderma pigmentosum (group C) using assays of unscheduled DNA synthesis and postreplication repair

The analysis of DNA repair processes is described in two pregnancies at risk for xeroderma pigmentosum. In both cases, excision repair (measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis) and postreplication repair were analyzed. An affected and an unaffected fetus were identified within 3 weeks after amniocentesis. The cells from the affected fetus were found to be deficient in excision DNA repair, whereas the PRR patterns were intermediate between those of normal and PRR deficient cells. This indicates the possibility of prenatal diagnosis of PRR deficient XP patients (XP variants).

Defective recovery of semi-conservative DNA synthesis in xeroderma pigmentosum cells following split-dose ultraviolet irradiation

In normal human fibroblasts we observe an enhancement of the recovery of the rate of semi-conservative DNA synthesis after split-dose UV-irradiation relative to a single total UV dose. The enhanced recovery is totally absent in both a xeroderma pigmentosum variant line and two xeroderma pigmentosum lines belonging to complementation groups A and C.

Herpes virus production as a marker of repair in ultra-violet irradiated human skin cells of different origin

Confluent cultures of human skin fibroblasts were irradiated with ultra-violet light 0 to 48 hours before infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV). The one-cycle viral yield was measured. Different responses were obtained according to the origin of the host cells. (1) Cells from three normal donors showed a dose-dependent recovery of HSV production during the 36--40 hours following U.V. exposure. The recovery was maximal for a dose at which a plateau level of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) was reached (24 Jm-2). (2) In a xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) heterozygote line from a mother of XP children, the level of UDS after irradiation up to 48Jm-2 was normal whereas the extent of recovery of HSV production capacity was lower than that of the normal lines. (3) In strains from two cases of XP children, with a normal UDS (XP variants), the recovery process was slowed down and its extent was lower than in normal or XP heterozygote cells. (4) Excision-deficient XP strains from eight cases of XP children presented either no recovery (two strains having the lowest UDS, less than 2 per cent) or a small recovery, the extent of which was in good agreement with the corresponding level of UDS (between 5 and 30 per cent). Measurement of this recovery seems to be a very sensitive assay for detecting differences in the repair abilities of U.V.-irradiated human skin cells of various origins.

Effects of DNA damaging agents on cultured fibroblasts derived from patients with Cockayne syndrome

The cytotoxic action of physical and chemical agents on 10 skin fibroblast strains in culture derived from individuals with Cockayne's syndrome was measured in terms of colony-forming ability. As compared to fibroblasts from normal donors, all Cockayne cell strains tested exhibited a significantly increased sensitivity to UV light and a normal sensitivity to X-rays. Cells from two sets of parents of unrelated Cockayne children showed an intermediate level of UV sensitivity. There was no effect of 0.5 mM caffeine on UV survival in normal and two Cockayne strains tested, indicating that postreplicational repair in Cockayne cells as measured by caffeine sensitivity was probably normal. Sensitivity of normal and Cockayne cells to the chemical carcinogens and mutagens 4NQO, N-AcO-AAF, ICR-170 and EMS was also compared. An increased sensitivity of Cockayne cells to 4NQO or N-AcO-AAF, but not the ICR-170 or EMS, was observed. However, unlike the intermediate UV sensitivity, the cell strains from two parents of Cockayne patients showed the same sensitivity to N-AcO-AAF or 4NQO as fibroblasts from normal individuals. Quantiation of damage to the DNA after 20 J . m-2 UV irradiation indicates normal levels of [3H] thymidine incorporation in the Cockayne cells, in contrast to UV-irradiated xeroderma pigmentosum cells (XP 12BE) in which there was a very low level of repari synthesis. Moreover, we have shown previously that excision of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in 2 of the 10 Cockayne cell strains was normal.

Cockayne's syndrome fibroblasts have increased sensitivity to ultraviolet light but normal rates of unscheduled DNA synthesis

Cockayne's syndrome is a form of cachectic dwarfism characterized by acute sun sensitivity and numerous other abnormalities of many organ systems. We studied fibroblasts from 9 Cockayne's syndrome patients to determine if their fibroblasts had abnormal post-ultraviolet light colony-forming ability or abnormal ultraviolet light-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis. The fibroblast strains from all the patients had markedly decreased post-ultraviolet light colony-forming ability in comparison with fibroblasts from control donors. Since this increased ultraviolet light sensitivity is propagable in vitro, it may be a manifestation of, or be closely associated with, the inherited genetic defect of this autosomal recessive disease. However, the patients' fibroblasts had normal rates of ultraviolet light-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis. Thus, unlike the UV sensitivity of DNA excision repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum strains, the UV sensitivity of Cockayne's syndrome strains is not related to abnormal DNA excision repair, at least to the extent that this repair process is reflected by rates of ultraviolet light-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis.

Induction of sister chromatid exchanges in xeroderma pigmentosum cells after exposure to ultraviolet light

The role of DNA repair mechanisms in the induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) after exposure to ultraviolet radiation was investigated in xeroderma pigmentosum cells. Cells from different excision-deficient XP strains, representing the 5 complementation groups in XP, A, B, C, D and E, and from excision-proficient XP variant strains were irradiated with low doses of UVR (0-3.5 J/m2). The number of SCE was counted after two cycles in the presence of BUdR. In cells of the complementation groups A, B, C and D the number of SCE was significantly higher than in UV-exposed control cells. The frequencies of SCE in group E cells and in XP varient cells were not different from those in control cells. Treatment with caffeine (0-200 microgram/ml) did not result in a different response of variant cells compared with normal cells. A simple correlation between SCE frequency and residual excision-repair activity was not observed. The response of the excision-repair deficient cells suggest that unrepaired damage, produced by UVR is involved in the production of SCE.

Relation of D.N.A. repair processes to pathological ageing of the nervous system in xeroderma pigmentosum

The severity of neurological abnormalities in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum has been found to be related to their ability to repair ultraviolet (U.V.)-damaged D.N.A. Patients with the most severe neurological abnormalities have the least effective D.N.A. repair is shown by the decreased colony-forming ability of their U.V.-irradiated fibroblasts. These results suggest that the lack of adequate D.N.A. repair is causally related to the clinical manifestations of a human heredodegenerative nervous system disease.

Host-cell reactivation of ultraviolet-irradiated SV40 DNA in five complementation groups of xeroderma pigmentosum

Host-cell reactivation of UV-irradiated double-stranded SV40 DNA was studied in BSC-1 monkey cells, normal human cells, heterozygous Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) cells, representative cell strains of the five complemention groups of XP and in XP "variant" cells. The following percentages of survival of the plaque-forming ability of double-stranded SV40 DNA were found in XP cells compared with the value found in normal monkey and human cells: group A, 13%; group B, 30%; group C, 18%; group D, 14%; group E, 59%; and in the heterozygous XP cells almost 100%. The survival in XP "variant" cells was 66%. The survival of single-stranded SV40 DNA in BSC-1 cells was much lower than that of double-stranded SV40 DNA in XP cells of complementation group A, which possibly indicates that some repair of UV damage occurs even in XP cells of group A.

Incorporation of (3H)thymidine stimulated by ultraviolet radiation into human fibroblast cultures

We studied DNA repair synthesis after ultraviolet irradiation in human fibroblasts cultured in vitro by measuring the ultraviolet-stimulated incorporation of [3H]thymidine into cells in which the semi-conservative DNA replication was inhibited by hydroxyurea. Experiments performed with five fibroblasts lines derived from healthy donors showed a relatively fast initial process ( that is completed within 1 h for 100 erg/mm2 and within 2 h for 500 erg/mm2) and a subsequent slower process, evident between 2 and 6 h after irradiation. The repair capacity of normal cells is expressed by the difference between the values of incorporation (in presence of hydroxyurea) of irradiated and control cells. The pattern of repair was similar in all five cell lines: repair capacity was positive and the amount of repair synthesis increased with incubation time after UV irratiation. Similar experiments were performed with fibroblasts derived from five patients with the classical xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and from one patient with the De Sanctis-Cacchione syndrome. Normal and XP cells could be distinguished according to whether they displayed a positive or negative value of repair synthesis and/or according to the degree of the slope of the repair synthesis curve as a function of the incubation time after irradiation. We conclude that the technique used in our experiments can demonstrate in a rapid and simple way a defect in the repair capacity in fibroblast cultures; the data are in good agreement with those obtained in the same XP cell lines by other authors [9], who have measured unscheduled DNA synthesis in autoradiographs and repair replication after addition of BUdR.