An MLH1 mutation links BACH1/FANCJ to colon cancer, signaling, and insight toward directed therapy.
Defects in MLH1, as with other mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, are the primary cause of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC). Mutations in MMR genes often disrupt mismatch repair and MMR signaling functions. However, some HNPCC-associated mutations have unknown pathogenicity. Here, we uncover an MLH1 clinical mutation with a leucine (L)-to-histidine (H) amino acid change at position 607 that ablates MLH1 binding to FANCJ. Given that a DNA helicase is not essential for mammalian MMR in vitro, we considered that loss of MLH1 binding to FANCJ could alter MMR signaling. Consistent with this hypothesis, FANCJ-deficient cells exhibit delayed MMR signaling and apoptotic responses that generate resistance to agents that induce O(6)-methylguanine lesions. Our data indicate that the delay in MMR signaling provides time for the methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) enzyme to reverse DNA methylation. In essence, FANCJ deficiency alters the competition between two pathways: MGMT-prosurvival versus MMR-prodeath. This outcome could explain the HNPCC familial cancers that present as microsatellite stable and with intact MMR, such as MLH(L607H). Importantly, the link between FANCJ and HNPCC provides insight toward directed therapies because loss of the FANCJ/MLH1 interaction also uniquely sensitizes cells to DNA cross-linking agents.
1Department of Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Women's Cancers Program, UMass Memorial Cancer Center, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.
Jenny
J
Xie
Shawna
S
Guillemette
Min
M
Peng
Candace
C
Gilbert
Andrew
A
Buermeyer
Sharon B
SB
Cantor
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000235:genetics*; D053843:DNA Mismatch Repair / Q000502:physiology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D051856:Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C102108:BACH1 protein, human; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D051856:Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins; C501486:MLH1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1