Involvement of mammalian MLH1 in the apoptotic response to peroxide-induced oxidative stress.
MLH1 is an integral part of the mismatch repair complex, and the loss of this protein is associated with the acquisition of a mutator phenotype, microsatellite instability, and a predisposition to cancer. Deficiencies in the mismatch repair complex, including the loss of MLH1, result in elevated resistance to specific inducers of DNA damage, yet the mechanisms involved in this DNA-damage resistance are largely unknown. Abnormal cellular responses to DNA damage can lead to the selection of cells with a greater propensity for neoplastic transformation and might also reduce the effectiveness of certain chemotherapeutic drugs. It is therefore important to identify agents that provide selective pressure for growth of MLH1-deficient cells and to characterize further the pathways involved. In this study, we show that both human epithelial and mouse embryo fibroblast cell lines lacking the MLH1 protein are more resistant to two inducers of oxidative stress, hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Our analyses suggest that the observed differences in cellular viability are mediated primarily through apoptotic pathways and not through deficiencies in cell cycle checkpoint controls. Additional characterization of the signaling pathways for hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in MLH1-proficient cells demonstrates the involvement of increased mitochondrial permeability, the release of cytochrome c, and caspase 3 activation. Together, our data indicate that cells lacking MLH1 may possess a selective growth advantage under oxidatively stressed conditions via the disregulation of apoptosis, possibly involving the mitochondria.
Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27514, USA.
R A
RA
Hardman
C A
CA
Afshari
J C
JC
Barrett
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020137:Base Pair Mismatch; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004260:DNA Repair; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010545:Peroxides / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide / Q000633:toxicity
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C501486:MLH1 protein, human; C501485:Mlh1 protein, mouse; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010545:Peroxides; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1