FOXO3 signalling links ATM to the p53 apoptotic pathway following DNA damage.
DNA damage as a result of environmental stress is recognized by sensor proteins that trigger repair mechanisms, or, if repair is unsuccessful, initiate apoptosis. Defects in DNA damage-induced apoptosis promote genomic instability and tumourigenesis. The protein ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is activated by DNA double-strand breaks and regulates apoptosis via p53. Here we show that FOXO3 interacts with the ATM-Chk2-p53 complex, augments phosphorylation of the complex and induces the formation of nuclear foci in cells on DNA damage. FOXO3 is essential for DNA damage-induced apoptosis and conversely FOXO3 requires ATM, Chk2 and phosphorylated p53 isoforms to trigger apoptosis as a result of DNA damage. Under these conditions FOXO3 may also have a role in regulating chromatin retention of phosphorylated p53. These results suggest an essential link between FOXO3 and the ATM-Chk2-p53-mediated apoptotic programme following DNA damage.
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Young Min
YM
Chung
See-Hyoung
SH
Park
Wen-Bin
WB
Tsai
Shih-Ya
SY
Wang
Masa-Aki
MA
Ikeda
Jonathan S
JS
Berek
David J
DJ
Chen
Mickey C-T
MC
Hu
D017209:Apoptosis; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C499517:FOXO3 protein, human; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D064447:Checkpoint Kinase 2; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C578634:CHEK2 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases