Rad51 and DNA-PKcs are involved in the generation of specific telomere aberrations induced by the quadruplex ligand 360A that impair mitotic cell progression and lead to cell death

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2012 Feb;69(4):629-40. doi: 10.1007/s00018-011-0767-6. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Abstract

Functional telomeres are protected from non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathways. Replication is a critical period for telomeres because of the requirement for reconstitution of functional protected telomere conformations, a process that involves DNA repair proteins. Using knockdown of DNA-PKcs and Rad51 expression in three different cell lines, we demonstrate the respective involvement of NHEJ and HR in the formation of telomere aberrations induced by the G-quadruplex ligand 360A during or after replication. HR contributed to specific chromatid-type aberrations (telomere losses and doublets) affecting the lagging strand telomeres, whereas DNA-PKcs-dependent NHEJ was responsible for sister telomere fusions as a direct consequence of G-quadruplex formation and/or stabilization induced by 360A on parental telomere G strands. NHEJ and HR activation at telomeres altered mitotic progression in treated cells. In particular, NHEJ-mediated sister telomere fusions were associated with altered metaphase-anaphase transition and anaphase bridges and resulted in cell death during mitosis or early G1. Collectively, these data elucidate specific molecular and cellular mechanisms triggered by telomere targeting by the G-quadruplex ligand 360A, leading to cancer cell death.

MeSH terms

  • Anaphase
  • Apoptosis*
  • Cell Line
  • DNA End-Joining Repair
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / genetics
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / metabolism*
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Homologous Recombination
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Metaphase
  • Mitosis / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Quinolines / pharmacology*
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Rad51 Recombinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Rad51 Recombinase / genetics
  • Rad51 Recombinase / metabolism*
  • Telomere* / metabolism
  • Telomere* / pathology

Substances

  • 2,6-N,N'-methyl-quinolinio-3-yl-pyridine dicarboxamide
  • Ligands
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Pyridines
  • Quinolines
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase
  • PRKDC protein, human
  • Rad51 Recombinase