Induction of ATF3 by ionizing radiation is mediated via a signaling pathway that includes ATM, Nibrin1, stress-induced MAPkinases and ATF-2.
Exposure of human cells to genotoxic agents induces various signaling pathways involved in the execution of stress- and DNA-damage responses. Inappropriate functioning of the DNA-damage response to ionizing radiation (IR) is associated with the human diseases ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) and Nijmegen Breakage syndrome (NBS). Here, we show that IR efficiently induces Jun/ATF transcription factor activity in normal human diploid fibroblasts, but not in fibroblasts derived from A-T and NBS patients. IR was found to enhance the expression of c-Jun and, in particular, ATF3, but, in contrast to various other stress stimuli, did not induce the expression of c-Fos. Using specific inhibitors, we found that the ATM- and Nibrin1-dependent activation of ATF3 does neither require p53 nor reactive oxygen species, but is dependent on the p38 and JNK MAPkinases. Via these kinases, IR activates ATF-2, one of the transcription factors acting on the atf3 promoter. The activation of ATF-2 by IR resembles ATF-2 activation by certain growth factors, since IR mainly induced the second step of ATF-2 phosphorylation via the stress-inducible MAPkinases, phosphorylation of Thr69. As IR does not enhance ATF-2 phosphorylation in ATM and Nibrin1-deficient cells, both ATF-2 and ATF3 seem to play an important role in the protective response of human cells to IR.
Kool
Jaap
J
Department of Radiation Genetics and Chemical Mutagenesis, Leiden University Medical Centre, Wassenaarseweg 72, 2333AL Leiden, The Netherlands.
Hamdi
Mohamed
M
Cornelissen-Steijger
Paulien
P
van der Eb
Alex J
AJ
Terleth
Carrol
C
van Dam
Hans
H
D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D007700:Kinetics; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
C497105:ATF2 protein, human; D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C112156:NBN protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases