Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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RecQ family helicases play important roles in coordinating genome maintenance pathways in living cells. In the absence of functional RecQ proteins, cells exhibit a variety of phenotypes, including increased mitotic recombination, elevated chromosome missegregation, hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, and defects in meiosis. Mutations in three of the five human RecQ family members give rise to genetic disorders associated with a predisposition to cancer and premature aging, highlighting the importance of RecQ proteins and their cellular activities for human health. Current evidence suggests that RecQ proteins act at multiple steps in DNA replication, including stabilization of replication forks and removal of DNA recombination intermediates, in order to maintain genome integrity. The cellular basis of RecQ helicase function may be explained through interactions with multiple components of the DNA replication and recombination machinery. This review focuses on biochemical and structural aspects of the RecQ helicases and how these features relate to their known cellular function, specifically in preventing excessive recombination.
Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol
PMID:Structure and function of RecQ DNA helicases. 1521 89

The Werner and Bloom syndromes are caused by loss-of-function mutations in WRN and BLM, respectively, which encode the RecQ family DNA helicases WRN and BLM, respectively. Persons with Werner syndrome displays premature aging of the skin, vasculature, reproductive system, and bone, and those with Bloom syndrome display more limited features of aging, including premature menopause; both syndromes involve genome instability and increased cancer. The proteins participate in recombinational repair of stalled replication forks or DNA breaks, but the precise functions of the proteins that prevent rapid aging are unknown. Accumulating evidence points to telomeres as targets of WRN and BLM, but the importance in vivo of the proteins in telomere biology has not been tested. We show that Wrn and Blm mutations each accentuate pathology in later-generation mice lacking the telomerase RNA template Terc, including acceleration of phenotypes characteristic of latest-generation Terc mutants. Furthermore, pathology not observed in Terc mutants but similar to that observed in Werner syndrome and Bloom syndrome, such as bone loss, was observed. The pathology was accompanied by enhanced telomere dysfunction, including end-to-end chromosome fusions and greater loss of telomere repeat DNA compared with Terc mutants. These findings indicate that telomere dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Werner syndrome and Bloom syndrome.
Mol Cell Biol 2004 Oct
PMID:Telomere shortening exposes functions for the mouse Werner and Bloom syndrome genes. 1536 65

Little is known about the pathophysiology of normal human and mouse senescence. On the other hand, the pathology of age-related disorders, such as senile osteoporosis, has been investigated. In vivo studies on the pathology of osteoporosis have been conducted primarily in rodents. Although mouse models of senile osteoporosis display some discrepancies relative to their human counterparts with regard to symptoms and pathology, these experimental models are useful and powerful tools for basic and preclinical studies. Here, we review existing mouse models of senile osteoporosis, including those exhibiting premature aging phenotypes, and discuss their pathogenesis, particularly with regard to age-related changes in stem cells.
Mol Aspects Med 2005 Jun
PMID:Mouse models of senile osteoporosis. 1581 36

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase gamma (Polg) is a heterodimeric enzyme containing a Pol I-like catalytic core (PolgA) and an accessory subunit. Mutations in POLGA, affecting the stability of mtDNA, have been identified in several human pathologies such as progressive external ophthalmoplegia and Alpers' syndrome. Extensive literature shows mitochondrial toxicity effects nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors used in the treatment of HIV and chronic hepatitis B as a consequence of an inhibitory effect on Polg. We have previously shown that mice with an error-prone version of PolgA accumulate higher levels of somatic mtDNA mutations resulting in a premature aging phenotype. In the present paper, we demonstrate PolgA deficiency in mouse embryos causes an early developmental arrest between embryonic days 7.5 and 8.5 associated with severe mtDNA depletion. Heterozygous knockout mice have half the wild-type levels of PolgA transcripts and a slight reduction in mtDNA levels but develop normally. Surprisingly, amounts of PolgA transcripts in heterozygous knockout mice are increased in response to artificially elevated mtDNA copy number, revealing a possible regulatory link between mtDNA maintenance and PolgA expression. Our results show that Polg indeed is the only DNA polymerase capable of maintaining mtDNA in mammalian mitochondria. In addition, presence of Polg is absolutely essential for the organogenesis during mammalian embryonic development.
Hum Mol Genet 2005 Jul 01
PMID:Mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma is essential for mammalian embryogenesis. 1588 83

Understanding the molecular basis of the aging process is a daunting problem, given the complex genetic and physiological changes that underlie human aging and the lack of genetically amenable primate model systems. However, analysis of mouse models exhibiting aging phenotypes reminiscent of those observed in elderly humans has enhanced our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying mammalian aging. In particular, these mouse models have brought to light the importance of the DNA damage pathway during the aging process. Increased genomic instability is associated with accelerated cellular decline and manifestation of premature aging phenotypes in mice. Here I discuss how one form of genomic instability, initiated by critically short telomeres in the telomerase knockout mouse, perturb normal mammalian aging. Insights into the molecular pathways of the aging process may offer unprecedented opportunities to delay the deleterious effects of the aging process.
Curr Mol Med 2005 Mar
PMID:Modeling premature aging syndromes with the telomerase knockout mouse. 1597 68

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare inherited bone marrow failure syndrome associated with abnormalities of the skin, fingernails, and tongue. Other clinical manifestations may include epiphora, lung fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, osteoporosis, and a predisposition to develop a variety of malignancies. The clinical picture often resembles that of a premature aging syndrome and tissues affected are those with a high cell turnover. DC has been linked to mutations in at least four distinct genes, three of which have been identified. The product of these genes, dyskerin, the telomerase RNA (TERC), and the catalytic unit of telomerase (TERT) are part of a ribonucleoprotein complex, the telomerase enzyme, that is essential for the elongation and maintenance of chromosome ends or telomeres. All patients with DC have excessively short telomeres, indicating that the underlying defect in these individuals is an inability to maintain the telomeres. The purpose of the current review is to highlight recent insights into the molecular pathogenesis of DC. We discuss the impact these findings have on our current understanding of telomere function and maintenance, and on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients with conditions caused by dysfunctional telomeres.
Curr Mol Med 2005 Mar
PMID:Dyskeratosis congenita -- a disease of dysfunctional telomere maintenance. 1597 69

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria (HGPS) is a premature aging syndrome associated with LMNA mutations. Progeria cells bearing the G608G LMNA mutation are characterized by accumulation of a mutated lamin A precursor (progerin), nuclear dysmorphism and chromatin disorganization. In cultured HGPS fibroblasts, we found worsening of the cellular phenotype with patient age, mainly consisting of increased nuclear-shape abnormalities, progerin accumulation and heterochromatin loss. Moreover, transcript distribution was altered in HGPS nuclei, as determined by different techniques. In the attempt to improve the cellular phenotype, we applied treatment with drugs either affecting protein farnesylation or chromatin arrangement. Our results show that the combined treatment with mevinolin and the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A dramatically lowers progerin levels, leading to rescue of heterochromatin organization and reorganization of transcripts in HGPS fibroblasts. These results suggest that morpho-functional defects of HGPS nuclei are directly related to progerin accumulation and can be rectified by drug treatment.
Cell Mol Life Sci 2005 Nov
PMID:Rescue of heterochromatin organization in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria by drug treatment. 1626 Dec 60

Solar UV light comprises UVB wavelengths (290-320 nm) and UVA wavelengths (320-400 nm). UVB radiation reaches the epidermis and, to a lesser extent, the upper part of the dermis, while UVA radiation penetrates more deeply into human skin. Existing studies have demonstrated that UV-irradiated epidermal keratinocytes release cytokines that indirectly promote MMP-1 production in dermal fibroblasts. In this study, we first investigated the effect of IL-1 on MAPK activity, c-Jun and c-Fos mRNA expression, and MMP-1 and MMP-2 production in UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts. The results showed that UVA irradiation dose-dependently increased MMP-1 but not MMP-2 production in human skin fibroblasts. IL-1alpha and IL-1beta promoted MMP-1 but not MMP-2 production in UVA-irradiated fibroblasts. Both IL-1alpha and IL-1beta activated MAP kinase, significantly elevating c-Jun and c-Fos mRNA expression. We then investigated the indirect effect of UVB-irradiated keratinocyte culture medium on MMP-1 production in UVA-irradiated primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts and the effect of IL-1Ra. The results showed that cell culture medium from UVB-irradiated keratinocytes increased MMP-1 production in UVA-irradiated fibroblasts, and IL-1Ra dose-dependently inhibited MMP-1 production. IL-1Ra dose-dependently inhibited c-Jun mRNA expression of fibroblasts with no significant effect on c-Fos mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that UVB-irradiated keratinocytes promoted MMP-1 production in UVA-irradiated fibroblasts in a paracrine manner while IL-1Ra reduced MMP-1 production through inhibiting c-Jun mRNA expression. Collectively, our data suggest that IL-1 plays an important role in the dermal collagen degradation associated with UV-induced premature aging of the skin and IL-1Ra may be applied for the prevention and treatment of photoaging.
Int J Mol Med 2005 Dec
PMID:IL-1 receptor antagonist attenuates MAP kinase/AP-1 activation and MMP1 expression in UVA-irradiated human fibroblasts induced by culture medium from UVB-irradiated human skin keratinocytes. 1627 95

Over the last years it has become evident that the nuclear envelope (NE) is more than a passive membrane barrier that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm. The NE not only controls the trafficking of macromolecules between the nucleoplasm and the cytosol, but also provides anchoring sites for chromosomes and cytoskeleton to the nuclear periphery. Targeting of chromatin to the NE might actually be part of gene expression regulation in eukaryotes. Mutations in certain NE proteins are associated with a diversity of human diseases, including muscular dystrophy, neuropathy, lipodistrophy, torsion dystonia and the premature aging condition progeria. Despite the importance of the NE for cell division and differentiation, relatively little is known about its biogenesis and its role in human diseases. It is our goal to provide a comprehensive view of the NE and to discuss possible implications of NE-associated changes for gene expression, chromatin organization and signal transduction.
Cell Mol Life Sci 2006 Feb
PMID:The role of the nuclear envelope in cellular organization. 1638 59

Genetic and biochemical analyses have uncovered an essential role for nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in regulating phase II xenobiotic metabolism and antioxidant response. Here we show that Nrf2 protects against the ovarian toxicity of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) in mice. Nrf2-/- female mice exposed to VCD exhibit an age-dependent decline in reproduction leading to secondary infertility accompanied by hypergonadotropic hypogonadism after 30 weeks of age. VCD is shown to selectively destroy small ovarian follicles, resulting in early depletion of functional follicles. Treatment with VCD induces apoptotic death in cultured cells and in ovarian follicles, suggesting apoptosis as a mechanism of follicle loss. Loss of Nrf2 function blocks the basal and inducible expression of microsomal epoxide hydrolase, a key enzyme in the detoxification of VCD, and increases the oxidative stress in cells that is further exacerbated by VCD. Foxo3a, a repressor in the early stages of follicle activation, displays reduced expression in Nrf2-/- ovaries, causing accelerated growth of follicles in the absence of exposure to exogenous chemicals. Furthermore, Foxo3a is degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway in untreated cells and is induced by VCD via both Nrf2-dependent transcription and protein stabilization. This study demonstrates that Nrf2 serves as an essential sensor and regulator of chemical homeostasis in ovarian cells, protecting the cells from toxic chemicals by controlling metabolic detoxification, reactive oxygen species defense, and Foxo3a expression. In addition, these findings raise the possibility that exposure to environmental or occupational ovotoxicants plays a role in the premature ovarian failure commonly associated with infertility and premature aging in women.
Mol Cell Biol 2006 Feb
PMID:Accelerated ovarian failure induced by 4-vinyl cyclohexene diepoxide in Nrf2 null mice. 1642 48


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