title: The Haemophilus ducreyi cytolethal distending toxin induces DNA double-strand breaks and promotes ATM-dependent activation of RhoA.
abstract: Among bacterial protein toxins, the cytolethal distending toxins (CDTs) are unique in their ability to activate the DNA damage checkpoint responses, causing cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in intoxicated cells. We provide direct evidence that natural intoxication of cells with the Haemophilus ducreyi CDT (HdCDT) holotoxin induces DNA double-strand breaks similarly to ionizing radiation. Upon DNA damage, epithelial cells and fibroblasts promote the formation of actin stress fibres via activation of the small GTPase RhoA. This phenomenon is not toxin specific, but is part of the ATM-induced cellular responses to genotoxic stresses, including ionizing radiation. Activation of RhoA is associated with prolonged cell survival, as HdCDT-treated epithelial cells expressing a dominant-negative form of RhoA detach and consequently die faster than cells expressing a functional RhoA. Our data highlight several novel aspects of CDT biology: (i) we show that a member of the CDT family causes DNA double-strand breaks in naturally intoxicated cells, acting as a true genotoxic agent; and (ii) we disclose the existence of a novel signalling pathway for intracellularly triggered activation of the RhoA GTPase via the ATM kinase in response to DNA damage, possibly required to prolong cell survival.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Box 280, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Teresa.Frisan@mtc.ki.se
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frisan
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cortes-Bratti
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chaves-Olarte
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stenerlöw
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thelestam
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002452:Cell Count; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004249:DNA Damage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004285:Dogs; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D015398:Signal Transduction; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C067044:cytolethal distending toxin; D004247:DNA; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein