title: Hypersensitivity of Ku80-deficient cell lines and mice to DNA damage: the effects of ionizing radiation on growth, survival, and development.
abstract: We recently have shown that mice deficient for the 86-kDa component (Ku80) of the DNA-dependent protein kinase exhibit growth retardation and a profound deficiency in V(D)J (variable, diversity, and joining) recombination. These defects may be related to abnormalities in DNA metabolism that arise from the inability of Ku80 mutant cells to process DNA double-strand breaks. To further characterize the role of Ku80 in DNA double-strand break repair, we have generated embryonic stem cells and pre-B cells and examined their response to ionizing radiation. Ku80(-/-) embryonic stem cells are more sensitive than controls to gamma-irradiation, and pre-B cells derived from Ku80 mutant mice display enhanced spontaneous and gamma-ray-induced apoptosis. We then determined the effects of ionizing radiation on the survival, growth, and lymphocyte development in Ku80-deficient mice. Ku80(-/-) mice display a hypersensitivity to gamma-irradiation, characterized by loss of hair pigmentation, severe injury to the gastrointestinal tract, and enhanced mortality. Exposure of newborn Ku80(-/-) mice to sublethal doses of ionizing radiation enhances their growth retardation and results in the induction of T cell-specific differentiation. However, unlike severe combined immunodeficient mice, radiation-induced T cell development in Ku80(-/-) mice is not accompanied by extensive thymocyte proliferation. The response of Ku80-deficient cell lines and mice to DNA-damaging agents provides important insights into the role of Ku80 in growth regulation, lymphocyte development, and DNA repair.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medical Physics and Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nussenzweig
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sokol
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burgman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000528:radiation effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004249:DNA Damage; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D006128:Growth / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; C000606510:Xrcc6 protein, mouse; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen