The amino acid proline is unique – within a polypeptide chain, proline adopts either a cis or trans peptide bond conformation while all other amino acids are sterically bound primarily in the trans configuration. In proteins, the isomeric state of a single proline can have dramatic consequences on structure and function. Consequently, cis-trans interconversion confers both barrier and opportunity – on one hand, isomerization is a rate limiting step in de novo protein folding and on the other can be utilized as a post-translational regulatory switch. Peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIs) are a ubiquitous superfamily that catalyzes the interconversion between conformers. Although pervasive, the functions and substrates of most PPIs are unknown. The two largest subfamilies, FKBPs and cyclophilins, are the intracellular receptors of clinically relevant immunosuppressant drugs that also show promise in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Therefore, narrowing the knowledge gap has significant potential to benefit human health. FKBP25 is a high-affinity binder of the PPI inhibitor rapamycin and is one of few nuclear-localized isomerases. While it has been shown to bind DNA and associate with chromatin, its function has remained largely uncharacterized. I hypothesized that FKBP25 targets prolines in nuclear proteins to regulate chromatin-templated processes. To explore this, I performed high-throughput transcriptomic and proteomic studies followed by detailed molecular characterizations of FKBP25’s function. Here, I discover that FKBP25 is a multifunctional protein required for the maintenance of genomic stability. In Chapter 2, I characterize the unique N-terminal Basic Tilted Helical Bundle (BTHB) domain of FKBP25 as a novel dsRNA binding module that recruits FKBP25’s prolyl isomerase activity to pre-ribosomal particles in the nucleolus. In Chapter 3, I show for the first time that FKBP25 associates with the mitotic spindle apparatus and acts to stabilize the microtubule cytoskeleton. In this chapter, I also present evidence that this function influences the stress response, cell cycle, and chromosomal stability. Additionally, I characterize the regulation of FKBP25’s localization and nucleic acid binding activity throughout the cell cycle. Finally, in Chapter 4, I uncover a role for FKBP25 in the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks. Importantly, this function requires FKBP25’s catalytic activity, identifying for the first time a functional requirement for cis-trans prolyl isomerization by FKBP25. Collectively, this work identifies FBKP25 as a multifunctional protein that is required for the maintenance of genomic stability. The knowledge gained contributes to the exploration of PPIs as important drug targets. / Graduate

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医科学) / 甲第22700号 / 医科博第115号 / 新制||医科||8(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医科学専攻 / (主査)教授 遊佐 宏介, 教授 近藤 玄, 教授 齊藤 博英 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

付記する学位プログラム名: 充実した健康長寿社会を築く総合医療開発リーダー育成プログラム / 京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第24520号 / 医博第4962号 / 新制||医||1065(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 生田 宏一, 教授 万代 昌紀, 教授 松田 文彦 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The dose of curative radiotherapy (RT) for cancer is commonly limited by adverse effects presenting years later. Late reacting normal tissues are, on average, more sensitive to the size of daily doses (fractions) than early reacting normal tissues and cancers. Clinical trials have shown breast cancers to be one exception to this rule, in that they are as sensitive to fraction size as the late reacting normal tissues. This has led to the adoption of hypofractionation (use of fractions >2.0 Gy) in the UK for the adjuvant therapy of women with early breast cancer. An understanding of the molecular basis of fraction size sensitivity is necessary to improve radiotherapy outcome. In this respect, it is relevant that late reacting normal tissues have lower proliferative indices than early reacting normal tissues and most cancers. Here, we test the hypothesis that tissue sensitivity to fraction size is determined by the DNA repair systems activated in response to DNA double strand breaks (DSB), and that these systems vary according to the proliferative status of the tissue. Clinical data suggest that sensitivity of epidermis to fraction size varies over a 5-week course of RT. It resembles a late reacting normal tissue in its sensitivity to fraction size in the first week of RT and loses fractionation sensitivity by weeks 4 & 5. We used this feature of human epidermis to test how fractionation sensitivity and DNA repair changed over 5 weeks of RT. Breast skin biopsies were collected 2 h after the 1st, 5th and last fractions from 30 breast cancer patients prescribed 50 Gy/25fractions/5weeks. Sections of epidermis were co-stained for Ki67, cyclin A, p21, RAD51, 53BP1 and β1-Integrin. After 5 weeks of radiotherapy, the mean basal Ki67 density increased from 5.72 to 15.46 cells per mm of basement membrane (p=0.002), of which the majority were in S/G2 phase as judged by cyclin A staining (p<0.0003). The p21 index rose from 2.8% to 87.4% (p<0.0001) after 25 fractions, indicating cell cycle arrest in the basal epidermis. By week 5, there was a 4-fold increase (p=0.0003) in the proportion of Ki67-positive cells showing RAD51 foci, confirming an association between activation of homologous recombination (HR) and loss of tissue fractionation sensitivity. Subsequently, CHO cell lines deficient in specific DNA repair genes were used to test molecular pathways involved in sensitivity to fraction size. We irradiated AA8 (WT), irs-1SF (XRCC3-), V3-3 (DNA-PK-) and EM9 (XRCC1-) with 16 Gy gamma-rays in 1 Gy daily fractions over 3 weeks or 16 Gy in 4 Gy daily fractions over 4 days, and studied clonogenic survival, DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair kinetics (RAD51 & 53BP1 staining) and cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry. We found that wild-type and DNA repair defective cells acquire resistance to fractionated radiotherapy by accumulation in the late S/G2 phase of the cell cycle and increased use of HR. In contrast, the irs1SF cells, defective in HR, failed to acquire radioresistance and remained equally sensitive to ionizing radiation throughout the 3-week treatment. We also demonstrated that sensitivity to fraction size is associated with functional NHEJ. It was undetectable in V3-3 cells lacking NHEJ and thereby likely relying on HR. The high fidelity of HR, which is independent of induced DNA damage levels and hence, of fraction size, may explain the low fractionation sensitivity of cells using HR to repair radiation induced DSBs. We then wanted to investigate the modifying effects of small molecule inhibitors of DNA repair on fractionation responses. To this end we tested the effects of adding selected ATM, PARP, and DNAPK inhibitors to fractionated radiotherapy in WT CHO cells. Our results showed that the ATM inhibitor had a significant radiosensitising effect when combined with fractionated RT and resulted in loss of sparing effect of fractionation in wild type CHO cells, an observation that may be clinically relevant. We also examined DNA DSB repair kinetics (RAD51 & 53BP1 foci) with these drugs in the context of fractionated IR.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are highly genotoxic lesions, which can promote chromosomal rearrangements and tumorigenesis through oncogene activation or loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at tumour suppressor loci. To identify new genes involved in DSB repair and genome stability, an S. pombe deletion library was screened for mutants which exhibited sensitivity to the DNA damaging agents bleomycin and/or MMS. 192 mutants were isolated which exhibited increased sensitivity to one or both of these agents. These mutants were further analysed in a sectoring assay and mutants sought which exhibited elevated levels of break-induced loss and rearrangement of a non-essential minichromosome. Using this approach 57 genes were identified, including all known homologous recombination (HR) and DNA damage checkpoint genes present in the library. Further, quantitative analysis of DSB repair indicated that 25 of these genes functioned to promote efficient HR repair, thus representing a comprehensive HR gene set in fission yeast. Included in this gene set are 10 genes not previously implicated in HR repair; nse5⁺, nse6⁺, ddb1⁺, cdt2⁺, alm1⁺, snz1⁺, kin1⁺, pal1⁺, SPAC31G5.18c⁺ and SPCC613.03⁺. Detailed characterisation of ddb1Δ and cdt2Δ established a role for the Ddb1-Cul4Cdt2 ubiquitin ligase complex in HR. The findings presented here support a model in which break-induced Rad3 and Ddb1-Cul4Cdt2 ubiquitin ligase-dependent Spd1 degradation promotes ribonucleotide reductase activation and nucleotide biosynthesis, which is required for post-synaptic ssDNA gap filling during HR repair. Lastly, the role of HR genes in suppressing chromosome loss and rearrangements was examined. A striking inverse correlation between levels of gene conversion and levels of both chromosome loss and LOH was observed across the HR gene deletion set. These findings support a common and likely evolutionarily conserved role for HR genes in suppressing both chromosome loss and break-induced chromosomal rearrangements resulting from extensive end processing associated with failed HR repair.

Investigations of DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms in normal tissues have implications for both cancer prevention and treatments. The accumulating knowledge about protein function and molecular markers makes it possible to directly trace and interpret cellular DDR in a tissue context. Using immunohistochemical techniques and digital image analysis, we have examined several principal DDR events in epidermis from patients undergoing fractionated radiotherapy. Acquiring biopsies from different regions of the skin provides the possibility to determine in vivo dose response at clinically relevant dose levels throughout the treatment. A crucial event in cellular DDR is the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). These serious lesions can be directly visualised in cells by detecting foci forming markers such as γH2AX and 53BP1. Our results reveal that DSB-signalling foci can be detected and quantified in paraffin-embedded tissues. More importantly, epidermal DSB foci dose response reveals hypersensitivity, detected as elevated foci levels per dose unit, for doses below ~0.3Gy. The low-dose hypersensitive dose response is observed throughout the treatment course and also in between fractions: at 30 minutes, 3 hours and 24 hours following delivered fractions. The dose response at 24 hours further reveals that foci levels do not return to background levels between fractions. Furthermore, a low-dose hypersensitive dose response is also observed for these persistent foci. Investigations of end points further downstream in the DDR pathways confirmed that the low-dose hypersensitivity was preserved for: the checkpoint regulating p21 kinase inhibitor; mitosis suppression; apoptosis induction and basal keratinocyte reduction. Our results reveal preserved low-dose hypersensitivity both early and late in the DDR pathways. A possible link between the dose-response relationships is therefore suggested. The preserved low-dose hypersensitivity is a cause for re-evaluation of the risks associated with low-dose exposure and has implications for cancer treatments, diagnostics and radiation protection.

Oesophageal cancer is a malignant and aggressive disease with very poor survival. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate novel therapeutic targets in oesophageal cancer. In paper I, Hsp90 was expressed in all 81 oesophageal cancer tissues and also in nine oesophageal cancer cell lines. A specific Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-AAG, could efficiently inhibit cell proliferation, cell survival and sensitise oesophageal cancer cells to gamma photon irradiation. By inhibition of Hsp90 using 17-AAG, EGFR- and IGF-1R-mediated signalling was downregulated. In paper II, tumour samples from 80 oesophageal cancer patients were investigated for the expression of EGFR and LRIG1-3. Based on a total score of intensity and expression fraction a trend towards survival differences was found for LRIG2 (p=0.18) and EGFR (p=0.09). Correlation analysis revealed a correlation between expression of EGFR and LRIG3 (p=0.0007). Significant correlations were found between LRIG1 mRNA expression levels and sensitivity to cisplatin (r = –0.74), docetaxel (r = –0.69), and vinorelbine (r = –0.82). In paper III, microtubule targeting drugs podophyllotoxin (PPT), vincristine and docetaxel inhibited survival and proliferation of oesophageal cancer cells. Unexpectedly, experiments showed that microtubule destabilising agents inhibited EGFR phosphorylation and signalling. A tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodium orthovanadate, was able to reverse the EGFR dephosphorylation. In paper IV, imetelstat, a telomerase antagonist, inhibited telomerase activity, colony formation ability and decreased proliferation of oesophageal cancer cells. Inhibition of telomerase activity by imetelstat led to an increase of 53BP1 foci indicating induction of DSBs. Furthermore, the fraction and size of radiation-induced 53BP1 foci were increased by imetelstat pre-treatment. In conclusion, Hsp90 and telomerase represent potential therapeutic targets in oesophageal cancer. And, the implication of EGFR and LRIG as prognostic factors is limited. Furthermore, disruption of the microtubule network may activate a protein tyrosine phosphatase that can regulate EGFR phosphorylation.

Les cassures double-brin de l’ADN (CDB) sont des événements clés dans la réponse aux rayonnements ionisants qui, avec le profil génétique et épigénétique individuel, peuvent conditionner le devenir des tissus sains d’un individu exposé. À la suite des cassures de la molécule d’ADN et de la déstabilisation de la chromatine, une série de modifications post-traductionnelles des histones se produit, notamment la phosphorylation de la serine 139 de l'histone H2A.X (gamma-H2A.X), conduisant à la formation de foyers radio-induits. La réparation des CDB, et donc la disparition de ces foyers, a lieu dans les heures suivant l’exposition. Toutefois, une certaine proportion de ces foyers gamma-H2A.X persiste 24 heures après l’irradiation. La nature et le rôle de ces foyers persistants sont encore peu clairs. L’objectif de ce travail est d'explorer les caractéristiques de ces foyers persistants et leurs conséquences sur le devenir des cellules. Pour étudier la dynamique des foyers radio-induits, nous avons exposé des HUVEC synchronisées en phase G0/G1 à des doses de 1 et 5 Gy de rayons X. Les foyers radio-induits ont été étudiés à partir de 10 minutes et jusqu'à 7 jours après l'exposition par l’analyse de gamma-H2A.X et de l’association temporelle de la protéine 53BP1 et des CN-PML (corps nucléaires PML). L’impact des foyers persistants sur la prolifération cellulaire a également été exploré. Nous avons analysé en microscopie à fluorescence une moyenne de 4 000 cellules pour chaque condition à l'aide d'une analyse d’image permettant la détection automatique des noyaux et des foyers. L'analyse d'un grand nombre d‘évènements nous a permis de discriminer des sous-populations de cellules ou de foyers sur la base de différentes caractéristiques, telles que leur aire ou la phase du cycle cellulaire, et de mesurer leur représentativité dans l'ensemble de la population de cellules exposées. Ainsi, nous avons déterminé que les foyers gamma-H2A.X persistant ont une aire supérieure à 0,72 ± 0,11 µm² et qu’ils sont toujours colocalisés avec 53BP1. Plus de 70% des cellules exposées à 5 Gy ont au moins un foyer persistant 24 heures après l'exposition. De plus, ces foyers persistants sont observables au moins jusqu'à 7 jours après l’irradiation. Une association spatiale significative entre les CN-PML et les foyers gamma-H2A.X a été observée à partir de 10 minutes après l'exposition et 24 heures après l’exposition, environ 90% des foyers persistants sont associés à un CN-PML. De plus, la présence de foyers persistants ne bloque pas définitivement la prolifération des cellules. Cependant, la fréquence des foyers persistants est plus faible dans les cellules filles que dans les cellules irradiées, probablement en raison d'une certaine proportion de distribution asymétrique des foyers persistants entre les cellules filles. Nous avons également mesuré une corrélation positive entre la présence d'un foyer persistant et la probabilité de mauvaise ségrégation de l'ADN par l'observation de phénomènes de catastrophes mitotiques. Il semble donc que la structure formée après le passage d'un foyer persistant à travers les phases S et G2 soit susceptible d’empêcher la séparation correcte des chromatides sœurs du chromosome affecté. Nous suggérons donc que la nature des foyers persistants n’est pas la même avant et après la première division cellulaire due à une résolution anormale de l'anaphase. Ces assemblages chromosomiques atypiques résultants d’anaphases anormales pourraient être létaux pour la cellule ou entraîner un déséquilibre du dosage génique et une instabilité génomique accrue pouvant conduire à une mosaïque de phénotypes cellulaires. / The DNA double-stranded breaks (DSB) are key events in the cell response to ionizing radiation that may affect, with the individual genetic and epigenetic profile, the fate of healthy tissues of people exposed. Following initial breaks and chromatin destabilization, a set of post-translational modifications of histones occurs, including the phosphorylation of serine 139 of histone H2AX (gamma-H2A.X), which leads to the formation of ionizing radiation-induced foci (IRIF). DSB repair results in the disappearance of most IRIF within hours after exposure. However, a proportion of IRIF remains 24 hours upon irradiation. The nature and role of these persistent IRIF are still unclear. The goal of this work is to explore the characteristics of these persistent IRIF and their consequences on the cell behavior. To investigate the dynamic of IRIF in our model, we exposed G0/G1-phase synchronized HUVECs to 1 or 5 Gy of X-rays. IRIF were studied from 10 minutes up to 7 days after exposure by monitoring gamma-H2A.X foci, their temporal association with 53BP1 protein and PML NBs (Promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies), and their impact on cell proliferation. We analyzed a mean of 4 000 cells for each condition using an automated detection of nuclei and foci. The analysis of a large number of cells and foci allowed us to screen subpopulations of cells or foci through different characteristics, such as size, shape or cell cycle phase among others, and to weight their representativeness in the whole population of exposed cells. We identified that persistent gamma-H2A.X foci after irradiation had a size superior to 0.72 ± 0.11 µm² and always collocated with 53BP1. More than 70% of cells exposed to 5 Gy had at least one persistent IRIF 24 hours after exposure and we observed these persistent IRIF up to 7 days post irradiation. A significant spatial association between PML NBs and IRIF was observed from 10 minutes after exposure; at 24h post irradiation, around 90% of persistent IRIF were associated with PML NBs. Moreover we demonstrated that persistent IRIF did not block cell proliferation definitively. The frequency of IRIF was lower in daughter cells, probably due to a certain amount of asymmetric distribution of IRIF between them. We report a positive association between the presence of an IRIF and the likelihood of DNA missegregation by observation of mitotic catastrophes. Hence, the structure formed after the passage of a persistent IRIF across the S and G2 phases may impede the correct segregation of sister chromatids of the chromosome affected. Consequently, the nature of IRIF in the nucleus of daughter cells might differ before and after the first cell division due to an abnormal resolution of anaphase. The resulting atypical chromosomal assembly may be lethal or result in a gene dosage imbalance and possible enhanced genomic instability, and could lead to a patchwork of cell phenotypes.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医科学) / 甲第22379号 / 医科博第109号 / 新制||医科||7(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医科学専攻 / (主査)教授 遊佐 宏介, 教授 武田 俊一, 教授 近藤 玄 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Les modifications post-traductionnelles des protéines par des polymères d’ADP-ribose (PAR) ou par phosphorylation permet l’assemblage des complexes de la réparation de l’ADN à la chromatine endommagée dont les fonctions sont essentielles pour assurer le maintien de la stabilité du génome. En réponse aux lésions de l’ADN, l’activité de synthèse de PAR des protéines PARP1 et PARP2 est fortement stimulée. Les PAR servent de signalisation pour le recrutement de multiples protéines, dont la protéine plateforme XRCC1.Les études menées au cours de cette thèse ont porté sur l’étude de la régulation des fonctions des protéines PARP1, PARP2 dans la réparation des cassures double brins (CDB) et l’étude des modifications de XRCC1 par phosphorylation en réponse à des dommages de l’ADN. En utilisant des substrats permettant de mesurer l’efficacité des différentes voies de réparation des CDB, nous avons démontré que PARP2, et non PARP1, est impliqué dans la régulation du choix des voies de la réparation des CDB. Plus spécifiquement, nous avons montré que PARP2 stimule l’initiation de la résection des extrémités des CDB dépendante de CtIP, indépendamment de son activité catalytique. Par des approches de vidéo-microscopie, nous avons pu déterminer que PARP2 limite l’accumulation de 53BP1 aux sites de dommages induits par micro-irradiation laser. Nous proposons que la protéine PARP2, en limitant le recrutement de la protéine 53BP1 aux sites de dommages, favorise la réparation des CDB dépendante de la résection des extrémités d’ADN, au détriment de la voie canonique de jonction des extrémités. Ces résultats sont les premiers démontrant un rôle de PARP2 dans le choix des voies de réparation des CDB.En parallèle, nous avons analysé comment la phosphorylation régule les fonctions de la protéine XRCC1. Par des approches in vitro et in vivo, nous avons pu déterminer que l’interdomaine 1 de XRCC1 est phosphorylé par la kinase CDK5. En réponse aux dommages induits par un agent alkylant, XRCC1 est activement déphosphorylé in vivo. De plus, nous avons observé que lorsque l’interdomaine 1 ne peut pas être phosphorylé in vitro, l’interaction de XRCC1 avec les PAR synthétisés par PARP1 et PARP2 augmente, et le recrutement de XRCC1 aux sites de dommages de l’ADN est accru. Ces résultats indiquent pour la première fois que la déphosphorylation de XRCC1 en réponse à un stress génotoxique participe activement à son recrutement aux sites de dommages.Dans leur ensemble, ces travaux ont contribué à améliorer nos connaissances fondamentales des réseaux de protéines impliquées dans la prise en charge des dommages de l’ADN. La compréhension de ces mécanismes est essentielle non seulement car ils participent au maintien de la stabilité du génome mais aussi du fait du développement exponentiel de nouvelles stratégies anti-tumorales qui visent à inhiber les voies de la réparation dans la but de cibler spécifiquement les cellules cancéreuses. / Post-translational modifications of proteins by polymers of ADP-ribose (PAR) or by phosphorylation allow the assembly of DNA repair protein complexes at damaged chromatin and are crucial to ensure genome stability. In response to DNA insults, the synthesis of PAR by the PARP1 and PARP2 proteins is strongly induced. PAR act as a signaling platform for the recruitment of multiples proteins at the sites of DNA damages, including the scaffold protein XRCC1. Research conducted during this PhD have been focused on studying the regulation of PARP1 and PARP2 functions in double-strands break repair (DSBR), and in investigating the role of XRCC1 modifications by phosphorylation in response to DNA damage.Using DNA repair assay allowing us to assess the accuracy of the different DSBR pathways, we demonstrated that PARP2, and not PARP1, is involved in the regulation of DNA double-strands break repair pathway choice. More precisely, we showed that PARP2 stimulates CtIP dependent initiation of end-resection at DSB, independently of its catalytic activity. By live cell imaging, we were able to determine that PARP2 limit 53BP1 accumulation at DNA damage sites induced by laser-microirradiation. We propose that by limiting 53BP1 accumulation at DNA damage sites, PARP2 stimulate DSB repair pathway that depend on DNA end-resection, thus counteracting the canonical end-joining pathway. These results are the first demonstrating a role for PARP2 in DNA DBSR pathway choice.In addition, we analyzed how the functions of XRCC1 are regulated by phosphorylation. Using in vitro and in vivo approaches, we were able to demonstrate that the linker 1 region of XRCC1 is phosphorylated by the CDK5 kinase. XRCC1 is actively dephosphorylated in response to DNA damage induced by an alkylating agent in vivo. We also observed that when the linker 1 cannot be phosphorylated, the XRCC1 interaction between the PAR synthetized by PARP1 and PARP2 is stimulated, and XRCC1 recruitement at the sites of DNA damage is far more efficient. These evidences indicate for the first time that the dephosphorylation of XRCC1 actively participate in its recruitment at the site of DNA damage. Put together, this work contributed to strengthen our fundamental knowledge of the protein network involved in the DNA damage response. Knowledge of those mechanisms is crucial since they participate in maintaining genome stability, and because new antitumoral drugs targeting DNA repair pathways in the attempt to specifically killed tumor cells are exponentially released.