Use of metabolic inhibitors to investigate the excision repair of pyrimidine dimers and non-dimer DNA damages induced in human and ICR 2A frog cells by solar ultraviolet radiation

Use of a monoclonal antibody to detect DNA damage caused by the anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) in vivo and in vitro

A monoclonal antibody, MAb62-5, was prepared and used to detect DNA damage due to the anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (or cisplatin). ELISA competition indicated that the binding of MAb62-5 to cisplatin-DNA was competitively inhibited (50% control) by 210 nM of cisplatin bound to DNA, cisplatin/nucleotide (D/N) = 0.2. Using a DNA mobility shift assay, MAb62-5 binding activity was inhibited by 50% by approximately 50-fold molar excess of cisplatin-DNA adducts (D/N = 0.08), whereas there was less than 5% inhibition by UV-DNA adducts or mock-treated DNA. In addition, MAb62-5 showed a similar affinity to the cisplatin-DNA adducts as compared to an endogenous cisplatin-damaged DNA recognition protein. Using ELISA with this antibody, we have demonstrated a 2-fold enhancement in excision repair of cisplatin-DNA adducts in resistant HeLa cells. This is supported by the measurement of repair-associated DNA strand breaks using alkaline elution and host cell reactivation of transfected plasmid DNA carrying cisplatin damage. These findings also provide explanation for the complexicity of immunoassay in cells.

Enhanced excision repair of DNA damage due to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) in resistant cervix carcinoma HeLa cells

We have previously reported a cisplatin-resistant HeLa cell line which exhibits overproduction of nuclear proteins preferential for cisplatin-modified DNA (Chao et al., Cancer Res. 51:601-605, 1991; Biochem. J. 277: 875-878, 1991). In this study, excision repair of cisplatin-DNA adducts in a resistant and a revertant cell lines was investigated using in situ detection of cisplatin-DNA adducts by an immunoassay and the measurement of repair-associated DNA strand breaks by a sensitive alkaline elution method. The resistant cells exhibited a 2-fold decrease in the accumulation of cisplatin-DNA adducts; whereas, the revertant cells showed a similar level of cisplatin-DNA adducts as the parental cells in the parallel experiment. Immediately following cisplatin treatment, the resistant and the revertant cells accumulated respectively approximately 50% and 90% cisplatin-DNA adducts of the parental cells. However, the kinetic patterns of repair rate following peak accumulation of cisplatin-DNA adducts (which took approximately 4 h) was the same in the three cell lines. This finding was supported by the measurement of repair-associated DNA strand breaks using alkaline elution which showed 1.6- and 1.5-fold increase in the resistant and the revertant cells respectively. In addition, following transfection with plasmid DNA carrying cisplatin damage, the resistant and the revertant cells displayed a 2.4- and 1.4-fold enhancement in host cell reactivation, respectively. Furthermore, the acquired resistance in HeLa cells was partially reversed by nontoxic aphidicolin, a DNA polymerase-alpha and DNA repair inhibitor. The results strongly suggest the improved excision repair of cisplatin-DNA adducts as a mechanism of phenotypic resistance of cells to cisplatin.

Apparent alterations in the early stage of excision repair of UV-induced DNA damages in a HeLa mutant cell line that is resistant to genotoxic stresses

We have previously reported a cisplatin-resistant HeLa cell line featuring a cross-resistance to genotoxic stresses including ultraviolet (UV) radiation and an enhancement of plasmid reactivation. In this study, excision repair of UV-DNA adducts in this resistant cell line was investigated. Using alkaline elution analysis, this resistant cell line showed a 2-fold enhancement in damage incision-associated DNA strand breaks. Using a gel mobility shift assay, the resistant cells exhibited a 3-fold increase in nuclear proteins which specifically recognize UV-damaged DNA. However, the rate of repair synthesis in the resistant cells appeared to be the same as in their parental counterparts. Thus, recognition and incision activities, the early stage of excision repair, are altered in the resistant cells. The results suggest that phenotypic cross-resistance of this cell line to UV is probably due to an improved excision repair of UV-DNA adducts which is defective in xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells. The results are consistent with the conclusion that the early stage, including recognition and incision, of excision repair is critical in determining cellular sensitivity or resistance to DNA damage.

Excision repair of UV-damaged plasmid DNA in Xenopus oocytes is mediated by DNA polymerase alpha (and/or delta)

We studied DNA repair by injecting plasmids containing random pyrimidine dimers into Xenopus oocytes. We demonstrated excision repair by recovering plasmids and analyzing them with T4 UV endonuclease treatment and alkaline agarose gel electrophoresis. The mechanism for excision repair of these plasmids appears to be processive, rather than distributive, since repair occurs in 'all or none' fashion. At less than 4-5 dimers/plasmid, nearly all repair occurs within 4-6 hours (approximately 10(10) dimers repaired per oocyte); the oocyte, therefore, has abundant repair activity. Specific antibodies and inhibitors were used to determine enzymes involved in repair. We conclude that DNA polymerase alpha (and/or delta) is required because repair is inhibited by antibodies to human DNA polymerase alpha, as well as by aphidicolin, an inhibitor of polymerases alpha (and/or delta). Repair was not inhibited by hydroxyurea, cytosine beta-D-arabinofuranoside, or inhibitors of topoisomerase II (novobiocin). Oocyte repair does not activate semi-conservative DNA replication, nor is protein synthesis required. Photoreactivation cannot account for repair because dimer removal is independent of exogenous light.

Transient induction of photolyase activity in arrested frog cells in response to a short-wave ultraviolet segment of simulated "sunlight"

Induction of photolyase activity was studied in cultured frog cells using clonogenic assays. Exposure of arrested cells to a pre-irradiation (90% survival) of 254 nm ultraviolet light resulted in a transient enhancement of photolyase activity. Cells expressed a decreased level of photolyase activity in response to an equitoxic fluence of simulated "sunlight" wavelengths 280-310 nm. However, no significant increase of enzyme activity was detected in cells following treatment with "sunlight" wavelengths 310-330 nm. In addition, this process depends on newly biosynthesized protein(s).