title: [DNA-dependent protein kinase: a major protein involved in the cellular response to ionizing radiation].
abstract: DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a DNA-activated nuclear serine/threonine protein kinase. DNA-PK consists of a regulatory sub-unit, the heterodimeric Ku protein (composed of a 70- and a 86-kDa subunit) which binds DNA ends and targets the catalytic sub-unit, DNA-PKcs to DNA strand breaks. DNA-PK plays a major role in the repair of double-strand breaks induced in DNA after exposure to ionizing radiation as shown by the extreme radiosensitivity of cells with mutations in Ku86, Ku70 or DNA-PKcs genes. Cells deficient in DNA-PK activity also exhibit hypersensitivity to genotoxic drugs such as cisplatin and nitrogen mustards. In the first part of this review, the current knowledge on the biochemical characteristics of DNA-PK, its mechanism of action in DNA repair and the phenotype of DNA-PK deficient cells is summarized. These results suggest that DNA-PK might play a role in the acquisition of a resistant phenotype of human tumors to radiotherapy, chemotherapy using genotoxic drugs or to both treatments. In the second part of this review, the studies devoted to inhibition of DNA-PK in order to enhance cancer therapy by DNA-damaging agents are presented.
authors.affiliation: Institut de pharmacologie et de biologie structurale CNRS, UPR 9062, Toulouse.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calsou
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salles
mesh_terms: D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004260:DNA Repair; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance
chemical_list: D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases