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DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) arise from enzymatic intermediates, metabolism or chemicals like chemotherapeutics. DPCs are highly cytotoxic as they impede DNA-based processes such as replication, which is counteracted through proteolysis-mediated DPC removal by spartan (SPRTN) or the proteasome. However, whether DPCs affect transcription and how transcription-blocking DPCs are repaired remains largely unknown. Here we show that DPCs severely impede RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription and are preferentially repaired in active genes by transcription-coupled DPC (TC-DPC) repair. TC-DPC repair is initiated by recruiting the transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) factors CSB and CSA to DPC-stalled RNA polymerase II. CSA and CSB are indispensable for TC-DPC repair; however, the downstream TC-NER factors UVSSA and XPA are not, a result indicative of a non-canonical TC-NER mechanism. TC-DPC repair functions independently of SPRTN but is mediated by the ubiquitin ligase CRL4 CSA and the proteasome. Thus, DPCs in genes are preferentially repaired in a transcription-coupled manner to facilitate unperturbed transcription., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The brittle hair syndrome Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) is characterized by variable clinical features, including photosensitivity, ichthyosis, growth retardation, microcephaly, intellectual disability, hypogonadism, and anaemia. TTD-associated mutations typically cause unstable mutant proteins involved in various steps of gene expression, severely reducing steady-state mutant protein levels. However, to date, no such link to instability of gene-expression factors for TTD-associated mutations in MPLKIP/TTDN1 has been established. Here, we present seven additional TTD individuals with MPLKIP mutations from five consanguineous families, with a newly identified MPLKIP variant in one family. By mass spectrometry-based interaction proteomics, we demonstrate that MPLKIP interacts with core splicing factors and the lariat debranching protein DBR1. MPLKIP-deficient primary fibroblasts have reduced steady-state DBR1 protein levels. Using Human Skin Equivalents (HSEs), we observed impaired keratinocyte differentiation associated with compromised splicing and eventually, an imbalanced proteome affecting skin development and, interestingly, also the immune system. Our data show that MPLKIP, through its DBR1 stabilizing role, is implicated in mRNA splicing, which is of particular importance in highly differentiated tissue., (© 2023 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.)

Heart failure has reached epidemic proportions in a progressively ageing population. The molecular mechanisms underlying heart failure remain elusive, but evidence indicates that DNA damage is enhanced in failing hearts. Here, we tested the hypothesis that endogenous DNA repair in cardiomyocytes is critical for maintaining normal cardiac function, so that perturbed repair of spontaneous DNA damage drives early onset of heart failure. To increase the burden of spontaneous DNA damage, we knocked out the DNA repair endonucleases xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group G (XPG) and excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1), either systemically or cardiomyocyte-restricted, and studied the effects on cardiac function and structure. Loss of DNA repair permitted normal heart development but subsequently caused progressive deterioration of cardiac function, resulting in overt congestive heart failure and premature death within 6 months. Cardiac biopsies revealed increased oxidative stress associated with increased fibrosis and apoptosis. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis showed enrichment of pathways associated with impaired DNA repair and apoptosis, and identified TP53 as one of the top active upstream transcription regulators. In support of the observed cardiac phenotype in mutant mice, several genetic variants in the ERCC1 and XPG gene in human GWAS data were found to be associated with cardiac remodelling and dysfunction. In conclusion, unrepaired spontaneous DNA damage in differentiated cardiomyocytes drives early onset of cardiac failure. These observations implicate DNA damage as a potential novel therapeutic target and highlight systemic and cardiomyocyte-restricted DNA repair-deficient mouse mutants as bona fide models of heart failure., (© 2023 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Gene expression profiling has identified numerous processes altered in aging, but how these changes arise is largely unknown. Here we combined nascent RNA sequencing and RNA polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to elucidate the underlying mechanisms triggering gene expression changes in wild-type aged mice. We found that in 2-year-old liver, 40% of elongating RNA polymerases are stalled, lowering productive transcription and skewing transcriptional output in a gene-length-dependent fashion. We demonstrate that this transcriptional stress is caused by endogenous DNA damage and explains the majority of gene expression changes in aging in most mainly postmitotic organs, specifically affecting aging hallmark pathways such as nutrient sensing, autophagy, proteostasis, energy metabolism, immune function and cellular stress resilience. Age-related transcriptional stress is evolutionary conserved from nematodes to humans. Thus, accumulation of stochastic endogenous DNA damage during aging deteriorates basal transcription, which establishes the age-related transcriptome and causes dysfunction of key aging hallmark pathways, disclosing how DNA damage functionally underlies major aspects of normal aging., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Organs age differently, causing wide heterogeneity in multimorbidity, but underlying mechanisms are largely elusive. To investigate the basis of organ-specific ageing, we utilized progeroid repair-deficient Ercc1 Δ /- mouse mutants and systematically compared at the tissue, stem cell and organoid level two organs representing ageing extremes. Ercc1 Δ /- intestine shows hardly any accelerated ageing. Nevertheless, we found apoptosis and reduced numbers of intestinal stem cells (ISCs), but cell loss appears compensated by over-proliferation. ISCs retain their organoid-forming capacity, but organoids perform poorly in culture, compared with WT. Conversely, liver ages dramatically, even causing early death in Ercc1-KO mice. Apoptosis, p21, polyploidization and proliferation of various (stem) cells were prominently elevated in Ercc1 Δ /- liver and stem cell populations were either largely unaffected (Sox9+), or expanding (Lgr5+), but were functionally exhausted in organoid formation and development in vitro. Paradoxically, while intestine displays less ageing, repair in WT ISCs appears inferior to liver as shown by enhanced sensitivity to various DNA-damaging agents, and lower lesion removal. Our findings reveal organ-specific anti-ageing strategies. Intestine, with short lifespan limiting time for damage accumulation and repair, favours apoptosis of damaged cells relying on ISC plasticity. Liver with low renewal rates depends more on repair pathways specifically protecting the transcribed compartment of the genome to promote sustained functionality and cell preservation. As shown before, the hematopoietic system with intermediate self-renewal mainly invokes replication-linked mechanisms, apoptosis and senescence. Hence, organs employ different genome maintenance strategies, explaining heterogeneity in organ ageing and the segmental nature of DNA-repair-deficient progerias., (© 2022 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: We investigated whether organoids can be generated from resected tumors of patients who received eight cycles of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy before surgery, and evaluated the sensitivity/resistance of these surviving cancer cells to cancer therapy., Experimental Design: We generated a library of 10 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) organoid lines: five each from treatment-naïve and FOLFIRINOX-treated patients. We first assessed the histologic, genetic, and transcriptional characteristics of the organoids and their matched primary PDAC tissue. Next, the organoids' response to treatment with single agents-5-FU, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin-of the FOLFIRINOX regimen as well as combined regimen was evaluated. Finally, global mRNA-seq analyses were performed to identify FOLFIRINOX resistance pathways., Results: All 10 patient-derived PDAC organoids recapitulate histologic, genetic, and transcriptional characteristics of their primary tumor tissue. Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX-treated organoids display resistance to FOLFIRINOX (5/5), irinotecan (5/5), and oxaliplatin (4/5) when compared with treatment-naïve organoids (FOLFIRINOX: 1/5, irinotecan: 2/5, oxaliplatin: 0/5). 5-Fluorouracil treatment responses between naïve and treated organoids were similar. Comparative global transcriptome analysis of treatment-naïve and FOLFIRINOX samples-in both organoids and corresponding matched tumor tissues-uncovered modulated pathways mainly involved in genomic instability, energy metabolism, and innate immune system., Conclusions: Resistance development in neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX organoids, recapitulating their primary tumor resistance, suggests continuation of FOLFIRINOX therapy as an adjuvant treatment may not be advantageous for these patients. Gene-expression profiles of PDAC organoids identify targetable pathways involved in chemoresistance development upon neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX treatment, thus opening up combination therapy possibilities., (©2021 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Ageing is a complex, multifaceted process leading to widespread functional decline that affects every organ and tissue, but it remains unknown whether ageing has a unifying causal mechanism or is grounded in multiple sources. Phenotypically, the ageing process is associated with a wide variety of features at the molecular, cellular and physiological level-for example, genomic and epigenomic alterations, loss of proteostasis, declining overall cellular and subcellular function and deregulation of signalling systems. However, the relative importance, mechanistic interrelationships and hierarchical order of these features of ageing have not been clarified. Here we synthesize accumulating evidence that DNA damage affects most, if not all, aspects of the ageing phenotype, making it a potentially unifying cause of ageing. Targeting DNA damage and its mechanistic links with the ageing phenotype will provide a logical rationale for developing unified interventions to counteract age-related dysfunction and disease.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is one of the main DNA repair pathways that protect cells against genomic damage. Disruption of this pathway can contribute to the development of cancer and accelerate aging. Mutational characteristics of NER-deficiency may reveal important diagnostic opportunities, as tumors deficient in NER are more sensitive to certain treatments. Here, we analyzed the genome-wide somatic mutational profiles of adult stem cells (ASCs) from NER-deficient Ercc1 -/Δ mice. Our results indicate that NER-deficiency increases the base substitution load twofold in liver but not in small intestinal ASCs, which coincides with the tissue-specific aging pathology observed in these mice. Moreover, NER-deficient ASCs of both tissues show an increased contribution of Signature 8 mutations, which is a mutational pattern with unknown etiology that is recurrently observed in various cancer types. The scattered genomic distribution of the base substitutions indicates that deficiency of global-genome NER (GG-NER) underlies the observed mutational consequences. In line with this, we observe increased Signature 8 mutations in a GG-NER-deficient human organoid culture, in which XPC was deleted using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing. Furthermore, genomes of NER-deficient breast tumors show an increased contribution of Signature 8 mutations compared with NER-proficient tumors. Elevated levels of Signature 8 mutations could therefore contribute to a predictor of NER-deficiency based on a patient's mutational profile., (© 2019 Jager et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.)

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most frequently found primary intra-ocular tumor in adults. It is a highly aggressive cancer that causes metastasis-related mortality in up to half of the patients. Many independent studies have reported somatic genetic changes associated with high metastatic risk, such as monosomy of chromosome 3 and mutations in BAP1 . Still, the mechanisms that drive metastatic spread are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of microRNAs in the metastasis of UM. Using a next-generation sequencing approach in 26 UM samples we identified thirteen differentially expressed microRNAs between high-risk UM and low/intermediate-risk UM, including the known oncomirs microRNA-17-5p, microRNA-21-5p, and miR-151a-3p. Integration of the differentially expressed microRNAs with expression data of predicted target genes revealed 106 genes likely to be affected by aberrant microRNA expression. These genes were involved in pathways such as cell cycle regulation, EGF signaling and EIF2 signaling. Our findings demonstrate that aberrant microRNA expression in UM may affect the expression of genes in a variety of cancer-related pathways. This implies that some microRNAs can be responsible for UM metastasis and are promising potential targets for future treatment.

Initiation and promoter-proximal pausing are key regulatory steps of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. To study the in vivo dynamics of endogenous Pol II during these steps, we generated fully functional GFP-RPB1 knockin cells. GFP-RPB1 photobleaching combined with computational modeling revealed four kinetically distinct Pol II fractions and showed that on average 7% of Pol II are freely diffusing, while 10% are chromatin-bound for 2.4 seconds during initiation, and 23% are promoter-paused for only 42 seconds. This unexpectedly high turnover of Pol II at promoters is most likely caused by premature termination of initiating and promoter-paused Pol II and is in sharp contrast to the 23 minutes that elongating Pol II resides on chromatin. Our live-cell-imaging approach provides insights into Pol II dynamics and suggests that the continuous release and reinitiation of promoter-bound Pol II is an important component of transcriptional regulation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

The accumulation of irreparable cellular damage restricts healthspan after acute stress or natural aging. Senescent cells are thought to impair tissue function, and their genetic clearance can delay features of aging. Identifying how senescent cells avoid apoptosis allows for the prospective design of anti-senescence compounds to address whether homeostasis can also be restored. Here, we identify FOXO4 as a pivot in senescent cell viability. We designed a FOXO4 peptide that perturbs the FOXO4 interaction with p53. In senescent cells, this selectively causes p53 nuclear exclusion and cell-intrinsic apoptosis. Under conditions where it was well tolerated in vivo, this FOXO4 peptide neutralized doxorubicin-induced chemotoxicity. Moreover, it restored fitness, fur density, and renal function in both fast aging Xpd TTD/TTD and naturally aged mice. Thus, therapeutic targeting of senescent cells is feasible under conditions where loss of health has already occurred, and in doing so tissue homeostasis can effectively be restored., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Human syndromes and mouse mutants that exhibit accelerated but bona fide aging in multiple organs and tissues have been invaluable for the identification of nine denominators of aging: telomere attrition, genome instability, epigenetic alterations, mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulated nutrient sensing, altered intercellular communication, loss of proteostasis, cellular senescence and adult stem cell exhaustion. However, whether and how these instigators of aging interrelate or whether they have one root cause is currently largely unknown. Rare human progeroid syndromes and corresponding mouse mutants with resolved genetic defects highlight the dominant importance of genome maintenance for aging. A second class of aging-related disorders reveals a cross connection with metabolism. As genome maintenance and metabolism are closely interconnected, they may constitute the main underlying biology of aging. This review focuses on the role of genome stability in aging, its crosstalk with metabolism, and options for nutritional and/or pharmaceutical interventions that delay age-related pathology.

Background: Drug resistance hampers the efficient treatment of malignancies, including advanced stage ovarian cancer, which has a 5-year survival rate of only 30 %. The molecular processes underlying resistance have been extensively studied, however, not much is known about the involvement of microRNAs., Methods: Differentially expressed microRNAs between cisplatin sensitive and resistant cancer cell line pairs were determined using microarrays. Mimics were used to study the role of microRNAs in drug sensitivity of ovarian cancer cell lines and patient derived tumor cells. Luciferase reporter constructs were used to establish regulation of target genes by microRNAs., Results: MiR-634 downregulation was associated with cisplatin resistance. Overexpression of miR-634 affected cell cycle progression and enhanced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. miR-634 resensitized resistant ovarian cancer cell lines and patient derived drug resistant tumor cells to cisplatin. Similarly, miR-634 enhanced the response to carboplatin and doxorubicin, but not to paclitaxel. The cell cycle regulator CCND1, and Ras-MAPK pathway components GRB2, ERK2 and RSK2 were directly repressed by miR-634 overexpression. Repression of the Ras-MAPK pathway using a MEK inhibitor phenocopied the miR-634 effects on viability and chemosensitivity., Conclusion: miR-634 levels determine chemosensitivity in ovarian cancer cells. We identify miR-634 as a therapeutic candidate to resensitize chemotherapy resistant ovarian tumors.

Standard RNA expression profiling methods rely on enrichment steps for specific RNA classes, thereby not detecting all RNA species. For example, small and large RNAs from the same sample cannot be sequenced in a single sequence run. We designed RNAome sequencing, which is a strand-specific method to determine the expression of small and large RNAs from ribosomal RNA-depleted total RNA in a single sequence run. RNAome sequencing quantitatively preserves all RNA classes. This characteristic allows comparisons between RNA classes, thereby facilitating relationships between different RNA classes. Here, we describe in detail the experimental procedure associated with RNAome sequencing published by Derks and colleagues in RNA Biology (2015) [1]. We also provide the R code for the developed Total Rna Analysis Pipeline (TRAP), an algorithm to analyze RNAome sequencing datasets (deposited at the Gene Expression Omnibus data repository, accession number GSE48084).

Bladder cancer has a high incidence with significant morbidity and mortality. Attenuated expression of the DNA damage response protein Xeroderma Pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) has been described in bladder cancer. XPC plays an essential role as the main initiator and damage-detector in global genome nucleotide excision repair (NER) of UV-induced lesions, bulky DNA adducts and intrastrand crosslinks, such as those made by the chemotherapeutic agent Cisplatin. Hence, XPC protein might be an informative biomarker to guide personalized therapy strategies in a subset of bladder cancer cases. Therefore, we measured the XPC protein expression level and functional NER activity of 36 bladder tumors in a standardized manner. We optimized conditions for dissociation and in vitro culture of primary bladder cancer cells and confirmed attenuated XPC expression in approximately 40% of the tumors. However, NER activity was similar to co-cultured wild type cells in all but one of 36 bladder tumors. We conclude, that (i) functional NER deficiency is a relatively rare phenomenon in bladder cancer and (ii) XPC protein levels are not useful as biomarker for NER activity in these tumors.

Current RNA expression profiling methods rely on enrichment steps for specific RNA classes, thereby not detecting all RNA species in an unperturbed manner. We report strand-specific RNAome sequencing that determines expression of small and large RNAs from rRNA-depleted total RNA in a single sequence run. Since current analysis pipelines cannot reliably analyze small and large RNAs simultaneously, we developed TRAP, Total Rna Analysis Pipeline, a robust interface that is also compatible with existing RNA sequencing protocols. RNAome sequencing quantitatively preserved all RNA classes, allowing cross-class comparisons that facilitates the identification of relationships between different RNA classes. We demonstrate the strength of RNAome sequencing in mouse embryonic stem cells treated with cisplatin. MicroRNA and mRNA expression in RNAome sequencing significantly correlated between replicates and was in concordance with both existing RNA sequencing methods and gene expression arrays generated from the same samples. Moreover, RNAome sequencing also detected additional RNA classes such as enhancer RNAs, anti-sense RNAs, novel RNA species and numerous differentially expressed RNAs undetectable by other methods. At the level of complete RNA classes, RNAome sequencing also identified a specific global repression of the microRNA and microRNA isoform classes after cisplatin treatment whereas all other classes such as mRNAs were unchanged. These characteristics of RNAome sequencing will significantly improve expression analysis as well as studies on RNA biology not covered by existing methods.

The emergence of high density technologies monitoring the genome, transcriptome and proteome in relation to genotoxic stress have tremendously enhanced our knowledge on global responses and dynamics in the DNA damage response, including its relation with cancer and aging. Moreover, '-omics' technologies identified many novel factors, their post-translational modifications, pathways and global responses in the cellular response to DNA damage. Based on omics, it is currently estimated that thousands of gene(product)s participate in the DNA damage response, recognizing complex networks that determine cell fate after damage to the most precious cellular molecule, DNA. The development of next generation sequencing technology and associated specialized protocols can quantitatively monitor RNA and DNA at unprecedented single nucleotide resolution. In this review we will discuss the contribution of omics technologies and in particular next generation sequencing to our understanding of the DNA damage response and the future prospective of next generation sequencing, its single cell application and omics dataset integration in unraveling intricate DNA damage signaling networks., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Recent advances have identified accumulation of DNA damage as a major driver of aging. However, there are numerous kinds of DNA lesions each with their own characteristics and cellular outcome, which highly depends on cellular context: proliferation (cell cycle), differentiation, propensity for survival/death, cell condition and systemic hormonal and immunological parameters. In addition, DNA damage is strongly influenced by cellular metabolism, anti-oxidant status and exogenous factors, consistent with the multi-factorial nature of aging. Notably, DNA lesions interfering with replication have very different outcomes compared to transcription. These considerations provide a conceptual framework in which different types of DNA damage and their setting contribute to the aging process in differential manners., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The DNA damage response (DDR) is activated upon DNA damage and prevents accumulation of mutations and chromosomal rearrangements, both driving carcinogenesis. Tumor cells often have defects in the DDR, which in combination with continuous cell proliferation are exploited by genotoxic cancer therapies. Most cancers, overcome initial sensitivity and develop drug resistance, e.g. by modulation of the DDR. Not much is known, however, about DNA damage responsive microRNAs in cancer therapy resistance. Therefore, we mapped temporal microRNA expression changes in primary breast epithelial cells upon low and high dose exposure to the DNA damaging agents ionizing radiation and cisplatin. A third of all DDR microRNAs commonly regulated across all treatments was also misexpressed in breast cancer, indicating a DDR defect. We repeated this approach in primary lung epithelial cells and non-small cell lung cancer samples and found that more than 40% of all DDR microRNAs was deregulated in non-small cell lung cancer. Strikingly, the microRNA response upon genotoxic stress in primary breast and lung epithelial cells was markedly different, although the biological outcome of DNA damage signaling (cell death/senescence or survival) was similar. Several DDR microRNAs deregulated in cancer modulated sensitivity to anti-cancer agents. In addition we were able to distinguish between microRNAs that induced resistance by potentially inducing quiescence (miR-296-5p and miR-382) or enhancing DNA repair or increased DNA damage tolerance (miR-21). In conclusion, we provide evidence that DNA damage responsive microRNAs are frequently misexpressed in human cancer and can modulate chemotherapy sensitivity., (Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There is a high need to improve the assessment of, especially non-genotoxic, carcinogenic features of chemicals. We therefore explored a toxicogenomics-based approach using genome-wide microRNA and mRNA expression profiles upon short-term exposure in mice. For this, wild-type mice were exposed for seven days to three different classes of chemicals, i.e., four genotoxic carcinogens (GTXC), seven non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTXC), and five toxic non-carcinogens. Hepatic expression patterns of mRNA and microRNA transcripts were determined after exposure and used to assess the discriminative power of the in vivo transcriptome for GTXC and NGTXC. A final classifier set, discriminative for GTXC and NGTXC, was generated from the transcriptomic data using a tiered approach. This appeared to be a valid approach, since the predictive power of the final classifier set in three different classifier algorithms was very high for the original training set of chemicals. Subsequent validation in an additional set of chemicals revealed that the predictive power for GTXC remained high, in contrast to NGTXC, which appeared to be more troublesome. Our study demonstrated that the in vivo microRNA-ome has less discriminative power to correctly identify (non-)genotoxic carcinogen classes. The results generally indicate that single mRNA transcripts do have the potential to be applied in risk assessment, but that additional (genomic) strategies are necessary to correctly predict the non-genotoxic carcinogenic potential of a chemical.

Dendritic cell (DC) maturation is a tightly regulated process that requires coordinated and timed developmental cues. Here we investigate whether microRNAs are involved in this process. We identify microRNAs in mouse GM-CSF-generated, monocyte-related DC (GM-DC) that are differentially expressed during both spontaneous and LPS-induced maturation and characterize M-CSF receptor (M-CSFR), encoded by the Csf1r gene, as a key target for microRNA-mediated regulation in the final step toward mature DC. MicroRNA-22, -34a, and -155 are up-regulated in mature MHCII(hi) CD86(hi) DC and mediate Csf1r mRNA and protein down-regulation. Experimental inhibition of Csf1r-targeting microRNAs in vitro results not only in sustained high level M-CSFR protein expression but also in impaired DC maturation upon stimulation by LPS. Accordingly, over-expression of Csf1r in GM-DC inhibits terminal differentiation. Taken together, these results show that developmentally regulated microRNAs control Csf1r expression, supplementing previously identified mechanisms that regulate its transcription and protein surface expression. Furthermore, our data indicate a novel function for Csf1r in mouse monocyte-derived DC, showing that down-regulation of M-CSFR expression is essential for final DC maturation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved non-coding RNAs of ∼22 nucleotides that regulate gene expression at the level of translation and play vital roles in hippocampal neuron development, function and plasticity. Here, we performed a systematic and in-depth analysis of miRNA expression profiles in cultured hippocampal neurons during development and after induction of neuronal activity. MiRNA profiling of primary hippocampal cultures was carried out using locked nucleic-acid-based miRNA arrays. The expression of 264 different miRNAs was tested in young neurons, at various developmental stages (stage 2-4) and in mature fully differentiated neurons (stage 5) following the induction of neuronal activity using chemical stimulation protocols. We identified 210 miRNAs in mature hippocampal neurons; the expression of most neuronal miRNAs is low at early stages of development and steadily increases during neuronal differentiation. We found a specific subset of 14 miRNAs with reduced expression at stage 3 and showed that sustained expression of these miRNAs stimulates axonal outgrowth. Expression profiling following induction of neuronal activity demonstrates that 51 miRNAs, including miR-134, miR-146, miR-181, miR-185, miR-191 and miR-200a show altered patterns of expression after NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity, and 31 miRNAs, including miR-107, miR-134, miR-470 and miR-546 were upregulated by homeostatic plasticity protocols. Our results indicate that specific miRNA expression profiles correlate with changes in neuronal development and neuronal activity. Identification and characterization of miRNA targets may further elucidate translational control mechanisms involved in hippocampal development, differentiation and activity-depended processes.

Platinum-based chemotherapy (e.g. cisplatin, carboplatin) is standard of care for many types of cancer including ovarian cancer, however, the efficacy of treatment is hampered by the development of therapy resistance. The mechanisms behind platinum resistance are not completely understood. Here, we have investigated the role of the family of p90 Ribosomal S6 kinases (RSK), important downstream mediators of ERK1/2, in the response to cisplatin chemotherapy. Strikingly, whereas treatment with cisplatin did not alter the levels of RSK1 in response to cisplatin treatment, the structurally related RSK2 protein was downregulated in an ovarian cancer cell line (A2780). Furthermore, we found that knockdown of RSK2, in contrast to knockdown of RSK1, gave rise to enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in a cisplatin sensitive as well as a cisplatin-resistant A2780 cell line. These results indicate that RSK2 is regulated in response to cisplatin treatment, and this downregulation may contribute to the cytotoxic action of cisplatin. Since RSK2 is frequently amplified in a growing number of cancers, this may have implications for the sensitivity of these tumours to platinum-based cytotoxics., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and play a critical role in development, homeostasis, and disease. Despite their demonstrated roles in age-associated pathologies, little is known about the role of miRNAs in human aging and longevity., Results: We employed massively parallel sequencing technology to identify miRNAs expressed in B-cells from Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians, i.e., those living to a hundred and a human model of exceptional longevity, and younger controls without a family history of longevity. With data from 26.7 million reads comprising 9.4 × 108 bp from 3 centenarian and 3 control individuals, we discovered a total of 276 known miRNAs and 8 unknown miRNAs ranging several orders of magnitude in expression levels, a typical characteristics of saturated miRNA-sequencing. A total of 22 miRNAs were found to be significantly upregulated, with only 2 miRNAs downregulated, in centenarians as compared to controls. Gene Ontology analysis of the predicted and validated targets of the 24 differentially expressed miRNAs indicated enrichment of functional pathways involved in cell metabolism, cell cycle, cell signaling, and cell differentiation. A cross sectional expression analysis of the differentially expressed miRNAs in B-cells from Ashkenazi Jewish individuals between the 50th and 100th years of age indicated that expression levels of miR-363* declined significantly with age. Centenarians, however, maintained the youthful expression level. This result suggests that miR-363* may be a candidate longevity-associated miRNA., Conclusion: Our comprehensive miRNA data provide a resource for further studies to identify genetic pathways associated with aging and longevity in humans.

Many carcinogenic agents such as ultra-violet light from the sun and various natural and man-made chemicals act by damaging the DNA. To deal with these potentially detrimental effects of DNA damage, cells induce a complex DNA damage response (DDR) that includes DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, damage tolerance systems and apoptosis. This DDR is a potent barrier against carcinogenesis and defects within this response are observed in many, if not all, human tumors. DDR defects fuel the evolution of precancerous cells to malignant tumors, but can also induce sensitivity to DNA damaging agents in cancer cells, which can be therapeutically exploited by the use of DNA damaging treatment modalities. Regulation of and coordination between sub-pathways within the DDR is important for maintaining genome stability. Although regulation of the DDR has been extensively studied at the transcriptional and post-translational level, less is known about post-transcriptional gene regulation by microRNAs, the topic of this review. More specifically, we highlight current knowledge about DNA damage responsive microRNAs and microRNAs that regulate DNA damage response genes. We end by discussing the role of DNA damage response microRNAs in cancer etiology and sensitivity to ionizing radiation and other DNA damaging therapeutic agents., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

MicroRNA-mediated modulation of translation has been recently discovered as a new dimension in gene expression regulation. In this chapter we review how this regulation operates in time between the fast protein modification and degradation steps on the one hand and the slow transcriptional reprogramming associated with more stable changes in gene expression patterns on the other hand. We also discuss the additional layer of complexity associated with spatial redistribution of the RNA silencing machinery in subcellular structures. Various stress conditions induce both a transient change in microRNA expression within the first few hours after exposure and a redistribution of the RNA silencing machinery from P-bodies to Stress Granules, which differ in their function and protein content. Insight into the spatiotemporal aspects of the microRNA response will be indispensable for a full understanding of this level of gene regulation.

DNA damage induced by UV irradiation provokes profound changes in gene expression. Both transcriptional regulation and posttranslational modification of proteins have been known for many years, but the involvement of microRNAs in regulation of mRNA translation has been described only recently. This level of gene expression regulation appears to operate at the intermediate time points between fast protein modifications (within minutes) and much slower transcriptional reprogramming (which takes several hours to days to develop). MicroRNAs most clearly contribute to regulation of cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis, but may also influence other aspects of cellular metabolism, differentiation and proliferation. Interestingly, the RNA silencing machinery redistributes into cytoplasmic RNA granules, termed stress granules (SGs), in cells that go through mitosis after UV irradiation. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of the DNA damage response.

DNA damage provokes DNA repair, cell-cycle regulation and apoptosis. This DNA-damage response encompasses gene-expression regulation at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. We show that cellular responses to UV-induced DNA damage are also regulated at the post-transcriptional level by microRNAs. Survival and checkpoint response after UV damage was severely reduced on microRNA-mediated gene-silencing inhibition by knocking down essential components of the microRNA-processing pathway (Dicer and Ago2). UV damage triggered a cell-cycle-dependent relocalization of Ago2 into stress granules and various microRNA-expression changes. Ago2 relocalization required CDK activity, but was independent of ATM/ATR checkpoint signalling, whereas UV-responsive microRNA expression was only partially ATM/ATR independent. Both microRNA-expression changes and stress-granule formation were most pronounced within the first hours after genotoxic stress, suggesting that microRNA-mediated gene regulation operates earlier than most transcriptional responses. The functionality of the microRNA response is illustrated by the UV-inducible miR-16 that downregulates checkpoint-gene CDC25a and regulates cell proliferation. We conclude that microRNA-mediated gene regulation adds a new dimension to the DNA-damage response.

Ionizing radiation is extremely harmful for human cells, and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are considered to be the main cytotoxic lesions induced. Improper processing of DSBs contributes to tumorigenesis, and mutations in DSB response genes underlie several inherited disorders characterized by cancer predisposition. Here, we performed a comprehensive screen for genes that protect animal cells against ionizing radiation. A total of 45 C. elegans genes were identified in a genome-wide RNA interference screen for increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation in germ cells. These genes include orthologs of well-known human cancer predisposition genes as well as novel genes, including human disease genes not previously linked to defective DNA-damage responses. Knockdown of eleven genes also impaired radiation-induced cell-cycle arrest, and seven genes were essential for apoptosis upon exposure to irradiation. The gene set was further clustered on the basis of increased sensitivity to DNA-damaging cancer drugs cisplatin and camptothecin. Almost all genes are conserved across animal phylogeny, and their relevance for humans was directly demonstrated by showing that their knockdown in human cells results in radiation sensitivity, indicating that this set of genes is important for future cancer profiling and drug development.

The large extracellular polysaccharide Hyaluronan (HA) and its synthesizing enzymes (Has) have been implicated in regulating the migratory potential of metastatic cancer cells. Here, we analyze the roles of zebrafish Has2 in normal development. Antisense morpholino oligonucleotide (MO)-mediated knockdown of zebrafish Has2 leads to the loss of HA, and severe migratory defects during gastrulation, somite morphogenesis and primordial germ cell migration. During gastrulation, ventrolateral cells of has2 morphant embryos fail to develop lamellipodia and to migrate dorsally, resulting in a blockage of dorsal convergence, whereas extension of the dorsal axis is normal. The effect is cell autonomous, suggesting that HA acts as an autocrine signal to stimulate the migration of HA-generating cells. Upon ectopic expression in axial cells, has2 causes the formation of supernumerary lamellipodia and a blockage of axis extension. Epistasis analyses with constitutively active and dominant-negative versions of the small GTPase Rac1 suggest that HA acts by Rac1 activation, rather than as an essential structural component of the extracellular matrix. Together, our data provide evidence that convergence and extension are separate morphogenetic movements of gastrulation. In addition, they suggest that the same HA pathways are active to auto-stimulate cell migration during tumor invasion and vertebrate embryogenesis.

An RNA interference (RNAi)-based genome-wide screen was performed to detect genes that contribute to genome stability in somatic cells of Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified 61 such genes; these also affect spontaneous mutagenesis in the germ line. Their sequence suggests a role in DNA repair and/or replication, in chromatin remodeling, or in cell cycle control; there are also many novel genes that are highly conserved from yeast to human. Because known mutator genes are causally involved in many hereditary and sporadic human cancers, it is likely that some of these new mutators are equally relevant in cancer etiology.

Mismatch-repair-deficient mutants were initially recognized as mutation-prone derivatives of bacteria, and later mismatch repair deficiency was found to predispose humans to colon cancers (HNPCC). We generated mismatch-repair-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans by deleting the msh-6 gene and analyzed the fidelity of transmission of genetic information to subsequent generations. msh-6-defective animals show an elevated level of spontaneous mutants in both the male and female germline; also repeated DNA tracts are unstable. To monitor DNA repeat instability in somatic tissue, we developed a sensitive system, making use of heat-shock promoter-driven lacZ transgenes, but with a repeat that puts this reporter gene out of frame. In genetic msh-6-deficient animals lacZ+ patches are observed as a result of somatic repeat instability. RNA interference by feeding wild-type animals dsRNA homologous to msh-2 or msh-6 also resulted in somatic DNA instability, as well as in germline mutagenesis, indicating that one can use C. elegans as a model system to discover genes involved in maintaining DNA stability by large-scale RNAi screens.