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Recent studies have suggested an involvement of processing pathways for the initiation of cellular responses induced by topoisomerase-targeting drugs. Here, we showed that cellular exposure to camptothecin (CPT) induced formation of topoisomerase I cleavable complex (TOP1cc), degradation of TOP1 and activation of DNA damage responses (DDR). Transcription and proteasome-dependent proteolysis, but not replication, were involved in CPT-induced TOP1 degradation, while none of above three processing activities affected TOP1cc formation. Replication- and transcription-initiated processing (RIP and TIP) of TOP1cc were identified as two independent pathways, which contribute distinctly to various CPT-activated DDR. Specifically, in cycling cells, RIP-processed TOP1cc triggered the CPT-induced RPA phosphorylation. At higher CPT dosages, the TIP pathway is required for other DDR activation, including ATM, p53 and Chk1/2 phosphorylation. The TIP pathway was further demonstrated to be S-phase independent by using three nonreplicating cell models. Furthermore, the effect of proteasome inhibitors mimicked that of transcription inhibition on the CPT-induced activation of DDR, suggesting the involvement of proteasome in the TIP pathway. Interestingly, the TIP pathway was important for TOP1cc-activated, but not ionization radiation-activated ATM, p53 and Chk2 phosphorylation. We have also found that pharmacological interferences of TIP and RIP pathways distinctively modulated the CPT-induced cell killing with treatments at low and high dosages, respectively. Together, our results support that both RIP and TIP pathways of TOP1cc are required for the activation of CPT-induced DDR and cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acidic pH plays an important role in various pathophysiological states and has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in animal models. Recent studies have also implicated acidic pH in the development of preneoplastic Barrett's esophagus in human. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying acidic pH-induced carcinogenesis. In the current study, we show that acidic pH, like the topoisomerase II (TOP2) poison VP-16 (demethylepipodophyllotoxin ethylidene-β-D-glucoside), induces tumors in 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene(DMBA)-initiated mice. The following studies in tissue culture models have suggested that acidic pH acts like a TOP2 poison to induce TOP2mediated DNA damage: (i) acidic pH induces TOP2-dependent DNA damage signals as evidenced by up-regulation of p53 and Ser-139 phosphorylation of H2AX [a substrate for ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)/ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) kinases]; (ii) acidic pH-induced cytotoxicity in tumor cells is reduced in TOP2-deficient cells; (iii) acidic pH increases the mutation frequency of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) gene in a TOP2dependent manner; and (iv) acidic pH induces reversible TOP2mediated DNA strand breaks in vitro. We discuss the possibility that TOP2-mediated DNA damage may contribute to acidic pHinduced carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]