Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.7 (DNA polymerase)
 17,007 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) provides most of the gap-filling synthesis at apurinic/apyrimidine sites of damaged DNA in the base excision repair pathway. A truncated form of the pol beta protein is expressed in colon and breast cancers. However, the role of the pol beta gene in lung cancer is not known. Thus, we investigated a possible occurrence of pol beta variants in primary lung tumors. The entire cDNA of pol beta obtained by RT-PCR amplification was analyzed for nucleotide sequencing in lung tumor and matched normal lung tissue of the same patient. Three types of variants were detected in squamous, non-small, or large cell carcinomas. The most common variant was a deletion of 87 bp from pol beta cDNA at a site corresponding to exon 11. In addition, a variant exhibiting deletions of 87 and 140 bp together with an insertion of 105 bp was identified in three lung tumors. This is the first report of the occurrence of pol beta variants, possibly splicing variants, in lung cancer. A truncated pol beta protein resulting from variant forms of the gene may impact the function of the enzyme and increase susceptibility to carcinogenesis.
 ...
PMID:Variant forms of DNA polymerase beta in primary lung carcinomas. 1043 53

DNA polymerase beta functions in both base excision repair and meiosis. Errors committed by polymerase beta during these processes could result in mutations. Using a complementation system, in which rat DNA polymerase beta substitutes for DNA polymerase I of Escherichia coli, we previously isolated a DNA polymerase beta mutant in which Tyr-265 was altered to Cys (Y265C). The Y265C mutant is dominant to wild-type DNA polymerase beta and possesses an intrinsic mutator activity. We now have expressed the wild-type DNA polymerase and the Y265C mutator mutant in mouse LN12 cells, which have endogenous DNA polymerase beta activity. We demonstrate that expression of the Y265C mutator mutant in the LN12 cells results in an 8-fold increase in the spontaneous mutation frequency of lambdacII mutants compared with expression of the wild-type protein. Expression of Y265C results in at least a 40-fold increase in the frequency of deletions of three bases or more and a 7-fold increase in point mutations. Our results suggest that the mutations we observe in vivo result directly from the action of the mutator polymerase. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a mutator phenotype resulting from expression of a DNA polymerase mutator mutant in mammalian cells. This work raises the possibility that variant polymerases may act in a dominant fashion in human cells, leading to genetic instability and carcinogenesis.
 ...
PMID:The Tyr-265-to-Cys mutator mutant of DNA polymerase beta induces a mutator phenotype in mouse LN12 cells. 1044 35

DNA polymerase beta (polbeta) is one of mammalian DNA polymerases and is known to be involved in a G:T/G:U mismatch repair. In order to investigate an involvement of this enzyme in a base excision repair, we searched a mutation of human polbeta in human gastric cancer and studied a function of the mutation. We observed cancer-specific missense mutations in 6 of 20 samples. All of these mutations were, however, heterozygous. We further analyzed the base excision repair activity of these mutants to know whether these mutants cause an error of mismatch repair. One of these mutants, which resulted in an amino acid substitution of Glu for Lys at codon 295, showed an inhibitory effect by in vitro base excision repair assay, suggesting that this mutation might play some role in carcinogenesis of the gastric mucosa.
 ...
PMID:Functional mutation of DNA polymerase beta found in human gastric cancer--inability of the base excision repair in vitro. 1055 92

The distribution of DNA adducts formed by the two main components, aristolochic acid I (AAI) and aristolochic acid II (AAII), of the carcinogenic plant extract aristolochic acid (AA) was examined in a plasmid containing exon 2 of the mouse c-H-ras gene by a polymerase arrest assay. AAI and AAII were reacted with plasmid DNA by reductive activation and the resulting DNA adducts were identified as the previously characterized adenine adducts (dA-AAI and dA-AAII) and guanine adducts (dG-AAI and dG-AAII) by the (32)P-post-labeling method. In addition, a structurally unknown adduct was detected in AAII-modified DNA and shown to be derived from reaction with cytosine (dC-AAII). Sites at which DNA polymerase progress along the template was blocked were assumed to be at the nucleotide 3' to the adduct. Polymerase arrest spectra showed a preference for reaction with purine bases in the mouse H-ras gene for both activated compounds, consistent with previous results that purine adducts are the principal reaction products of AAI and AAII with DNA. Despite the structural similarities among AAI-DNA and AAII-DNA adducts, however, the polymerase arrest spectra produced by the AAs were different. According to the (32)P-post-labeling analyses reductively activated AAI showed a strong preference for reacting with guanine residues in plasmid DNA, however, the polymerase arrest assay revealed arrest sites preferentially at adenine residues. In contrast, activated AAII reacted preferentially with adenine rather than guanine residues and to a lesser extent with cytosine but DNA polymerase was arrested at guanine as well as adenine and cytosine residues with nearly the same average relative intensity. Thus, the polymerase arrest spectra obtained with the AA-adducted ras sequence do not reflect the DNA adduct distribution in plasmid DNA as determined by (32)P-post-labeling. Arrest sites of DNA polymerase associated with cytosine residues confirmed the presence of a cytosine adduct in DNA modified by AAII. For both compounds adduct distribution was not random; instead, regions with adduct hot spots and cold spots were observed. Results from nearest neighbor binding analysis indicated that flanking pyrimidines displayed the greatest effect on polymerase arrest and therefore on DNA binding by AA.
Carcinogenesis 2000 Feb
PMID:Using polymerase arrest to detect DNA binding specificity of aristolochic acid in the mouse H-ras gene. 1065 63

A significant contribution to human mutagenesis and carcinogenesis may come from DNA damage of endogenous, rather than exogenous, origin. Efficient repair mechanisms have evolved to cope with this. The main repair pathway involved in repair of endogenous damage is DNA base excision repair. In addition, an important contribution is given by O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltranferase, that repairs specifically the miscoding base O6-alkylguanine. In recent years, several attempts have been carried out to enhance the efficiency of repair of endogenous damage by overexpressing in mammalian cells single enzymatic activities. In some cases (e.g. O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase or yeast AP endonuclease) this approach has been successful in improving cellular protection from endogenous and exogenous mutagens, while overexpression of other enzymatic activities (e.g. alkyl N-purine glycosylase or DNA polymerase beta) were detrimental and even produced a genome instability phenotype. The reasons for these different outcomes are analyzed and alternative enzymatic activities whose overexpression may improve the efficiency of repair of endogenous damage in human cells are proposed.
 ...
PMID:Overexpression of enzymes that repair endogenous damage to DNA. 1075 36

In the present study, we found that oxidized low density lipoprotein, but not low density lipoprotein, down-regulated base excision repair activity in extracts of mouse monocyte cell line PU5-1.8. An enzyme required in this pathway, DNA polymerase beta, was also down-regulated. In contrast, treatment of monocytes with a combination of ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol up-regulated base excision repair activity and expression of DNA polymerase beta. Co-treatment of monocytes with antioxidants plus oxidized low density lipoprotein prevented down-regulation by oxidized low density lipoprotein. Oxidative DNA damage, as measured by 8-hydroxyguanine accumulation in genomic DNA, was found in cells treated with oxidized low density lipoprotein; 8-hydroxyguanine was not found in the cells treated with low density lipoprotein, antioxidants or oxidized low density lipoprotein plus antioxidants. These results establish a linkage between the DNA base excision repair pathway, oxidative DNA damage and oxidized low density lipoprotein treatment in mouse monocytes. Since oxidized low density lipoprotein is implicated in chronic disease conditions such as atherogenesis, these findings facilitate understanding of genetic toxicology mechanisms related to human health and disease.
Carcinogenesis 2000 May
PMID:Modulation of base excision repair by low density lipoprotein, oxidized low density lipoprotein and antioxidants in mouse monocytes. 1078 27

The process of carcinogenesis is initiated by mutagenesis, which often involves replication past damaged DNA. One question - what exactly is a DNA polymerase seeing when it incorrectly copies a damaged DNA base (e.g., inserting dATP opposite a dG adduct)? - has not been answered in any case. Herein, we reflect on this question, principally by considering the mutagenicity of one activated form of benzo[a]pyrene, (+)-anti-B[a]PDE, and its major adduct [+ta]-B[a]P-N(2)-dG. In previous work, [+ta]-B[a]P-N(2)-dG was shown to be capable of inducing>95% G-->T mutations in one sequence context (5'-TGC), and approximately 95% G-->A mutations in another (5'-AGA). This raises the question - how can a single chemical entity induce different mutations depending upon DNA sequence context? Our current working hypothesis is that adduct conformational complexity causes adduct mutational complexity, where DNA sequence context can affect the former, thereby influencing the latter. Evidence supporting this hypothesis was discussed recently (Seo et al., Mutation Res. [in press]). Assuming this hypothesis is correct (at least in some cases), one goal is to consider what these mutagenic conformations might be. Based on molecular modeling studies, 16 possible conformations for [+ta]-B[a]P-N(2)-dG are proposed. A correlation between molecular modeling and mutagenesis work suggests a hypothesis (Hypothesis 3): a base displaced conformation with the dG moiety of the adduct in the major vs. minor groove gives G-->T vs. G-->A mutations, respectively. (Hypothesis 4, which is a generalized version of Hypothesis 3, is also proposed, and can potentially rationalize aspects of both [+ta]-B[a]P-N(2)-dG and AP-site mutagenesis, as well as the so-called "A-rule".) Finally, there is a discussion of how conformational complexity might explain some unusual mutagenesis results that suggest [+ta]-B[a]P-N(2)-dG can become trapped in different conformations, and why we think it makes sense to interpret adduct mutagenesis results by modeling ds-DNA (at least in some cases), even though the mutagenic event must occur at a ss/ds-DNA junction in the presence of a DNA polymerase.
 ...
PMID:Toward an understanding of the role of DNA adduct conformation in defining mutagenic mechanism based on studies of the major adduct (formed at N(2)-dG) of the potent environmental carcinogen, benzo[a]pyrene. 1083 33

Ferric nitrilotriacetate induces oxidative damage in renal proximal tubules that ultimately leads to a high incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in rats. In search of genes specifically involved in oxystress-induced carcinogenesis, we have applied a modified fluorescent differential display technique to the tumors and an established cell line as well as their non-neoplastic counterparts. We screened approximately 84,000 products. Reverse Northern blotting confirmed differential expression of 20 transcripts, which showed either significant increase, decrease or lack of expression in the RCCs. Five cDNA clones encoded novel products of unknown function. Fifteen cDNA clones were identified by homology search, which included annexin II, Y-box binding protein, ribosomal proteins, heat shock proteins, DNA polymerase, nonmuscle caldesmon (increased); protein tyrosine phosphatase (decreased); selenoprotein P, stromal cell-derived factor 1, intestinal trefoil protein, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH) dehydrogenase, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (deleted). Most of the identified genes were associated with stress-response or cellular proliferation. These results suggest that multiple, interactive genetic pathways are involved in carcinogenesis induced by oxidative stress.
 ...
PMID:Expression of stress-response and cell proliferation genes in renal cell carcinoma induced by oxidative stress. 1085 35

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment of human subjects (i.e. exposure to 100% oxygen at a pressure of 2.5 ATA for a total period of 3 x 20 min) caused clear and reproducible DNA damage in lymphocytes, as detected with the comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis). Induction of DNA damage was found only after the first HBO exposure and not after further treatments of the same individuals. Furthermore, blood taken 24 h after HBO treatment was significantly protected against the induction of DNA damage by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in vitro, indicating that adaptation occurred due to induction of antioxidant defenses. The cells were not significantly protected against the genotoxic effects of gamma-irradiation, suggesting increased scavenging of reactive oxygen species distant from nuclear DNA or an inducible change in the levels of free transition metals. We now demonstrate increased levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in lymphocytes 24 h after HBO treatment of volunteers. Under the same conditions, superoxide dismutase, catalase and the DNA repair enzymes apurinic endonuclease and DNA polymerase beta were not enhanced in expression. We also show that protection against the induction of DNA damage by H(2)O(2) in lymphocytes even occurs with a shortened HBO treatment which did not induce significant DNA damage by itself. Our results suggest that increased sequestration of iron as a consequence of induced HO-1 might be involved in the adaptive protection after HBO treatment and that the induction of DNA damage is not the trigger for adaptive protection.
Carcinogenesis 2000 Oct
PMID:Induction of heme oxygenase-1 and adaptive protection against the induction of DNA damage after hyperbaric oxygen treatment. 1102 35

The carcinogenic plant extract aristolochic acid (AA) is thought to be the major causative agent in the development of urothelial carcinomas found in patients with Chinese herb nephropathy (CHN). These carcinomas are associated with overexpression of p53, suggesting that the p53 gene is mutated in CHN-associated urothelial malignancy. To investigate the relation between AA-DNA adduct formation and possible p53 mutations, we mapped the distribution of DNA adducts formed by the two main components of AA, aristolochic acid I (AAI) and aristolochic acid II (AAII) at single nucleotide resolution in exons 5-8 of the human p53 gene in genomic DNA. To this end, an adduct-specific polymerase arrest assay combined with a terminal transferase-dependent PCR (TD-PCR) was used to amplify DNA fragments. AAI and AAII were reacted with human mammary carcinoma (MCF-7) DNA in vitro and the major DNA adducts formed were identified by the (32)P-postlabeling method. These adducted DNAs were used as templates for TD-PCR. Sites at which DNA polymerase progress along the template was blocked were assumed to be at the nucleotide 3' to the adduct. Polymerase arrest spectra thus obtained showed a preference for reaction with purine bases in the human p53 gene for both activated compounds. For both AAs, adduct distribution was not random; the strongest signals were seen at codons 156, 158-159 and 166-167 for exon 5, at codons 196, 198-199, 202, 209, 214-215 and 220 for exon 6, at codons 234-235, 236-237 and 248-249 for exon 7 and at codons 283-284 and 290-291 for exon 8. Overall guanines at CpG sites in the p53 gene that correspond to mutational hotspots observed in many human cancers seem not to be preferential targets for AAI or II. We compared the AA-DNA binding spectrum in the p53 gene with the p53 mutational spectrum of urothelial carcinomas found in the human mutation database. No particular pattern of polymerase arrest was found that predicts AA-specific mutational hotspots in urothelial tumors of the current p53 database. Thus, AA is not a likely cause of non-CHN-related urothelial tumors.
Carcinogenesis 2001 Jan
PMID:Sequence-specific detection of aristolochic acid-DNA adducts in the human p53 gene by terminal transferase-dependent PCR. 1115 51


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10