Chk1 suppresses a caspase-2 apoptotic response to DNA damage that bypasses p53, Bcl-2, and caspase-3.
Evasion of DNA damage-induced cell death, via mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor or overexpression of prosurvival Bcl-2 family proteins, is a key step toward malignant transformation and therapeutic resistance. We report that depletion or acute inhibition of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is sufficient to restore gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis in p53 mutant zebrafish embryos. Surprisingly, caspase-3 is not activated prior to DNA fragmentation, in contrast to classical intrinsic or extrinsic apoptosis. Rather, an alternative apoptotic program is engaged that cell autonomously requires atm (ataxia telangiectasia mutated), atr (ATM and Rad3-related) and caspase-2, and is not affected by p53 loss or overexpression of bcl-2/xl. Similarly, Chk1 inhibitor-treated human tumor cells hyperactivate ATM, ATR, and caspase-2 after gamma-radiation and trigger a caspase-2-dependent apoptotic program that bypasses p53 deficiency and excess Bcl-2. The evolutionarily conserved "Chk1-suppressed" pathway defines a novel apoptotic process, whose responsiveness to Chk1 inhibitors and insensitivity to p53 and BCL2 alterations have important implications for cancer therapy.
Sidi
Samuel
S
Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Sanda
Takaomi
T
Kennedy
Richard D
RD
Hagen
Andreas T
AT
Jette
Cicely A
CA
Hoffmans
Raymond
R
Pascual
Jennifer
J
Imamura
Shintaro
S
Kishi
Shuji
S
Amatruda
James F
JF
Kanki
John P
JP
Green
Douglas R
DR
D'Andrea
Alan A
AA
Look
A Thomas
AT
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D053143:Caspase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D004249:DNA Damage; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; C000605867:CHEK1 protein, human; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D053143:Caspase 2; D053148:Caspase 3