ATM

Gene Summary

Gene:ATM; ATM serine/threonine kinase
Aliases: AT1, ATA, ATC, ATD, ATE, ATDC, TEL1, TELO1
Location:11q22.3
Summary:The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the PI3/PI4-kinase family. This protein is an important cell cycle checkpoint kinase that phosphorylates; thus, it functions as a regulator of a wide variety of downstream proteins, including tumor suppressor proteins p53 and BRCA1, checkpoint kinase CHK2, checkpoint proteins RAD17 and RAD9, and DNA repair protein NBS1. This protein and the closely related kinase ATR are thought to be master controllers of cell cycle checkpoint signaling pathways that are required for cell response to DNA damage and for genome stability. Mutations in this gene are associated with ataxia telangiectasia, an autosomal recessive disorder. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2010]
Databases:OMIM, HGNC, Ensembl, GeneCard, Gene
Protein:serine-protein kinase ATM
Source:NCBIAccessed: 31 August, 2019

Ontology:

What does this gene/protein do?
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Pathways:What pathways are this gene/protein implicaed in?
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Cancer Overview

Research Indicators

Publications Per Year (1994-2019)
Graph generated 31 August 2019 using data from PubMed using criteria.

Literature Analysis

Mouse over the terms for more detail; many indicate links which you can click for dedicated pages about the topic.

Tag cloud generated 31 August, 2019 using data from PubMed, MeSH and CancerIndex

Specific Cancers (6)

Data table showing topics related to specific cancers and associated disorders. Scope includes mutations and abnormal protein expression.

Note: list is not exhaustive. Number of papers are based on searches of PubMed (click on topic title for arbitrary criteria used).

Latest Publications: ATM (cancer-related)

Zhao ZL, Xia L, Zhao C, Yao J
ATM rs189037 (G > A) polymorphism increased the risk of cancer: an updated meta-analysis.
BMC Med Genet. 2019; 20(1):28 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Rs189037 (G > A) is a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene that may be associated with the risk of cancer. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether rs189037 polymorphism influences the occurrence of cancer and examined the relationship between this SNP and the etiology of cancer.
METHODS: Case-control studies were retrieved from literature databases in accordance with established inclusion criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the association between rs189037 and cancer. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis also were performed.
RESULTS: After inclusion criteria were met, fifteen studies-comprising 8660 patients with cancer (cases) and 9259 controls-were included in this meta-analysis. Summary results indicated that an association was found between rs189037 and cancer risk. In the dominant model, the pooled OR using a random effects model was 1.207 (95% CI, 1.090-1.337; P < 0.001). The A allele of rs189037 increased the risk of lung cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancer. Results of subgroup analysis by ethnicity indicated that the SNP was associated with the risk of cancer among East Asian and Latino, but not Caucasian.
CONCLUSIONS: Results of this meta-analysis suggest that rs189037 is associated with the occurrence of lung cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancer as the risk factor. These data provide possible avenues for future case-control studies related to cancer.

Gu Y, Shi J, Qiu S, et al.
Association between ATM rs1801516 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis involving 12,879 cases and 18,054 controls.
BMC Cancer. 2018; 18(1):1060 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene plays a key role in response to DNA lesions and is related to the invasion and metastasis of malignancy. Epidemiological studies have indicated associations between ATM rs1801516 polymorphism and different types of cancer, but their results are inconsistent. To further evaluate the effect of ATM rs1801516 polymorphism on cancer risk, we conducted this meta-analysis.
METHODS: Studies were identified according to specific inclusion criteria by searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under recessive, dominant, codominant, and overdominant models of inheritance were calculated to estimate the association between rs1801516 polymorphism and cancer risk.
RESULTS: A total of 37 studies with 12,879 cases and 18,054 controls were included in our study. No significant association was found between rs1801516 polymorphism and cancer risk in overall comparisons (AA vs GG + GA: OR = 0.91, 95% CI, 0.78-1.07; AA+GA vs GG: OR = 1.00, 95% CI, 0.90-1.11; AA vs GG: OR = 0.89, 95% CI, 0.75-1.06; GA vs GG: OR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.91-1.13; GG + AA vs GA: OR = 1.00, 95% CI, 0.88-1.10). However, after subgroup analyses by region-specified population, significant associations were found in European (AA vs GG + GA: OR = 0.79, 95% CI, 0.65-0.96, P = 0.017; AA vs GG: OR = 0.79, 95% CI, 0.65-0.96, P = 0.017), South American (AA+GA vs GG: OR = 2.15, 95% CI, 1.37-3.38, P = 0.001; GA vs GG: OR = 2.19, 95% CI, 1.38-3.47, P = 0.001; GG + AA vs GA: OR = 0.46, 95% CI, 0.29-0.72, P = 0.001), and Asian (AA vs GG + GA: OR = 7.45, 95% CI, 1.31-42.46, P = 0.024; AA vs GG: OR = 7.40, 95% CI, 1.30-42.19, P = 0.024). Subgroup analyses also revealed that compared with subjects carrying a GG genotype, those carrying a homozygote AA had a decreased risk for breast cancer (AA vs GG: OR = 0.76, 95% CI, 0.59-0.98, P = 0.035), and the homozygote AA was associated with decreased cancer risk in subjects with family history (AA vs GG: OR = 0.68, 95% CI, 0.47-0.98, P = 0.039).
CONCLUSIONS: ATM rs1801516 polymorphism is not associated with overall cancer risk in total population. However, for subgroup analyses, this polymorphism is especially associated with breast cancer risk; in addition, it is associated with overall cancer risk in Europeans, South Americans, Asians, and those with family history.

Kantidze OL, Velichko AK, Luzhin AV, et al.
Synthetically Lethal Interactions of ATM, ATR, and DNA-PKcs.
Trends Cancer. 2018; 4(11):755-768 [PubMed] Related Publications
Synthetic lethality occurs when simultaneous perturbations of two genes or molecular processes result in a loss of cell viability. The number of known synthetically lethal interactions is growing steadily. We review here synthetically lethal interactions of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR), and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). These kinases are appropriate for synthetic lethal therapies because their genes are frequently mutated in cancer, and specific inhibitors are currently in clinical trials. Understanding synthetically lethal interactions of a particular gene or gene family can facilitate predicting new synthetically lethal interactions, therapy toxicity, and mechanisms of resistance, as well as defining the spectrum of tumors amenable to these therapeutic approaches.

McGrail DJ, Federico L, Li Y, et al.
Multi-omics analysis reveals neoantigen-independent immune cell infiltration in copy-number driven cancers.
Nat Commun. 2018; 9(1):1317 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
To realize the full potential of immunotherapy, it is critical to understand the drivers of tumor infiltration by immune cells. Previous studies have linked immune infiltration with tumor neoantigen levels, but the broad applicability of this concept remains unknown. Here, we find that while this observation is true across cancers characterized by recurrent mutations, it does not hold for cancers driven by recurrent copy number alterations, such as breast and pancreatic tumors. To understand immune invasion in these cancers, we developed an integrative multi-omics framework, identifying the DNA damage response protein ATM as a driver of cytokine production leading to increased immune infiltration. This prediction was validated in numerous orthogonal datasets, as well as experimentally in vitro and in vivo by cytokine release and immune cell migration. These findings demonstrate diverse drivers of immune cell infiltration across cancer lineages and may facilitate the clinical adaption of immunotherapies across diverse malignancies.

Ghobashi AH, Kamel MA
Tip60: updates.
J Appl Genet. 2018; 59(2):161-168 [PubMed] Related Publications
The maintenance of genome integrity is essential for organism survival. Therefore, eukaryotic cells possess many DNA repair mechanisms in response to DNA damage. Acetyltransferase, Tip60, plays a central role in ATM and p53 activation which are involved in DNA repair. Recent works uncovered the roles of Tip60 in ATM and p53 activation and how Tip60 is recruited to double-strand break sites. Moreover, recent works have demonstrated the role of Tip60 in cancer progression. Here, we review the current understanding of how Tip60 activates both ATM and p53 in response to DNA damage and his new roles in tumorigenesis.

Renault AL, Mebirouk N, Cavaciuti E, et al.
Telomere length, ATM mutation status and cancer risk in Ataxia-Telangiectasia families.
Carcinogenesis. 2017; 38(10):994-1003 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Recent studies have linked constitutive telomere length (TL) to aging-related diseases including cancer at different sites. ATM participates in the signaling of telomere erosion, and inherited mutations in ATM have been associated with increased risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate whether carriage of an ATM mutation and TL interplay to modify cancer risk in ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) families.The study population consisted of 284 heterozygous ATM mutation carriers (HetAT) and 174 non-carriers (non-HetAT) from 103 A-T families. Forty-eight HetAT and 14 non-HetAT individuals had cancer, among them 25 HetAT and 6 non-HetAT were diagnosed after blood sample collection. We measured mean TL using a quantitative PCR assay and genotyped seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) recurrently associated with TL in large population-based studies.HetAT individuals were at increased risk of cancer (OR = 2.3, 95%CI = 1.2-4.4, P = 0.01), and particularly of breast cancer for women (OR = 2.9, 95%CI = 1.2-7.1, P = 0.02), in comparison to their non-HetAT relatives. HetAT individuals had longer telomeres than non-HetAT individuals (P = 0.0008) but TL was not associated with cancer risk, and no significant interaction was observed between ATM mutation status and TL. Furthermore, rs9257445 (ZNF311) was associated with TL in HetAT subjects and rs6060627 (BCL2L1) modified cancer risk in HetAT and non-HetAT women.Our findings suggest that carriage of an ATM mutation impacts on the age-related TL shortening and that TL per se is not related to cancer risk in ATM carriers. TL measurement alone is not a good marker for predicting cancer risk in A-T families.

Buisson R, Lawrence MS, Benes CH, Zou L
APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B Activities Render Cancer Cells Susceptible to ATR Inhibition.
Cancer Res. 2017; 77(17):4567-4578 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
The apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B have emerged as key mutation drivers in cancer. Here, we show that APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B activities impose a unique type of replication stress by inducing abasic sites at replication forks. In contrast to cells under other types of replication stress, APOBEC3A-expressing cells were selectively sensitive to ATR inhibitors (ATRi), but not to a variety of DNA replication inhibitors and DNA-damaging drugs. In proliferating cells, APOBEC3A modestly elicited ATR but not ATM. ATR inhibition in APOBEC3A-expressing cells resulted in a surge of abasic sites at replication forks, revealing an ATR-mediated negative feedback loop during replication. The surge of abasic sites upon ATR inhibition associated with increased accumulation of single-stranded DNA, a substrate of APOBEC3A, triggering an APOBEC3A-driven feed-forward loop that ultimately drove cells into replication catastrophe. In a panel of cancer cell lines, ATRi selectively induced replication catastrophe in those harboring high APOBEC3A and/or APOBEC3B activities, showing that APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B activities conferred susceptibility to ATRi. Our results define an APOBEC-driven replication stress in cancer cells that may offer an opportunity for ATR-targeted therapy.

Blackford AN, Jackson SP
ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK: The Trinity at the Heart of the DNA Damage Response.
Mol Cell. 2017; 66(6):801-817 [PubMed] Related Publications
In vertebrate cells, the DNA damage response is controlled by three related kinases: ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK. It has been 20 years since the cloning of ATR, the last of the three to be identified. During this time, our understanding of how these kinases regulate DNA repair and associated events has grown profoundly, although major questions remain unanswered. Here, we provide a historical perspective of their discovery and discuss their established functions in sensing and responding to genotoxic stress. We also highlight what is known regarding their structural similarities and common mechanisms of regulation, as well as emerging non-canonical roles and how our knowledge of ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK is being translated to benefit human health.

Cheng DT, Prasad M, Chekaluk Y, et al.
Comprehensive detection of germline variants by MSK-IMPACT, a clinical diagnostic platform for solid tumor molecular oncology and concurrent cancer predisposition testing.
BMC Med Genomics. 2017; 10(1):33 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
BACKGROUND: The growing number of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) tests is transforming the routine clinical diagnosis of hereditary cancers. Identifying whether a cancer is the result of an underlying disease-causing mutation in a cancer predisposition gene is not only diagnostic for a cancer predisposition syndrome, but also has significant clinical implications in the clinical management of patients and their families.
METHODS: Here, we evaluated the performance of MSK-IMPACT (Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets) in detecting genetic alterations in 76 genes implicated in cancer predisposition syndromes. Output from hybridization-based capture was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500. A custom analysis pipeline was used to detect single nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions/deletions (indels) and copy number variants (CNVs).
RESULTS: MSK-IMPACT detected all germline variants in a set of 233 unique patient DNA samples, previously confirmed by previous single gene testing. Reproducibility of variant calls was demonstrated using inter- and intra- run replicates. Moreover, in 16 samples, we identified additional pathogenic mutations other than those previously identified through a traditional gene-by-gene approach, including founder mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 and APC, and truncating mutations in TP53, TSC2, ATM and VHL.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of the NGS-based gene panel testing approach in comprehensively identifying germline variants contributing to cancer predisposition and simultaneous detection of somatic and germline alterations.

Ratnaparkhe M, Hlevnjak M, Kolb T, et al.
Genomic profiling of Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in ataxia telangiectasia patients reveals tight link between ATM mutations and chromothripsis.
Leukemia. 2017; 31(10):2048-2056 [PubMed] Related Publications
Recent developments in sequencing technologies led to the discovery of a novel form of genomic instability, termed chromothripsis. This catastrophic genomic event, involved in tumorigenesis, is characterized by tens to hundreds of simultaneously acquired locally clustered rearrangements on one chromosome. We hypothesized that leukemias developing in individuals with Ataxia Telangiectasia, who are born with two mutated copies of the ATM gene, an essential guardian of genome stability, would show a higher prevalence of chromothripsis due to the associated defect in DNA double-strand break repair. Using whole-genome sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and RNA sequencing, we characterized the genomic landscape of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) arising in patients with Ataxia Telangiectasia. We detected a high frequency of chromothriptic events in these tumors, specifically on acrocentric chromosomes, as compared with tumors from individuals with other types of DNA repair syndromes (27 cases total, 10 with Ataxia Telangiectasia). Our data suggest that the genomic landscape of Ataxia Telangiectasia ALL is clearly distinct from that of sporadic ALL. Mechanistically, short telomeres and compromised DNA damage response in cells of Ataxia Telangiectasia patients may be linked with frequent chromothripsis. Furthermore, we show that ATM loss is associated with increased chromothripsis prevalence in additional tumor entities.

van Os NJH, Jansen AFM, van Deuren M, et al.
Ataxia-telangiectasia: Immunodeficiency and survival.
Clin Immunol. 2017; 178:45-55 [PubMed] Related Publications
Ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by ataxia, telangiectasia, and immunodeficiency. An increased risk of malignancies and respiratory diseases dramatically reduce life expectancy. To better counsel families, develop individual follow-up programs, and select patients for therapeutic trials, more knowledge is needed on factors influencing survival. This retrospective cohort study of 61 AT patients shows that classical AT patients had a shorter survival than variant patients (HR 5.9, 95%CI 2.0-17.7), especially once a malignancy was diagnosed (HR 2.5, 95%CI 1.1-5.5, compared to classical AT patients without malignancy). Patients with the hyper IgM phenotype with hypogammaglobulinemia (AT-HIGM) and patients with an IgG

Kim SH, Park ER, Cho E, et al.
Mael is essential for cancer cell survival and tumorigenesis through protection of genetic integrity.
Oncotarget. 2017; 8(3):5026-5037 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Germ line-specific genes are activated in somatic cells during tumorigenesis, and are accordingly referred to as cancer germline genes. Such genes that act on piRNA (Piwi-interacting RNA) processing play an important role in the progression of cancer cells. Here, we show that the spermatogenic transposon silencer maelstrom (Mael), a piRNA-processing factor, is required for malignant transformation and survival of cancer cells. A specific Mael isoform was distinctively overexpressed in diverse human cancer cell lines and its depletion resulted in cancer-specific cell death, characterized by apoptosis and senescence, accompanied by an increase in reactive oxygen-species and DNA damage. These biochemical changes and death phenotypes induced by Mael depletion were dependent on ATM. Interestingly Mael was essential for Myc/Ras-induced transformation, and its overexpression inhibited Ras-induced senescence. In addition, Mael repressed retrotransposon activity in cancer cells. These results suggest that Mael depletion induces ATM-dependent DNA damage, consequently leading to cell death specifically in cancer cells. Moreover, Mael possesses oncogenic potential that can protect against genetic instability.

Xia L, Wang XR, Wang XL, et al.
A Novel Role for Pyruvate Kinase M2 as a Corepressor for P53 during the DNA Damage Response in Human Tumor Cells.
J Biol Chem. 2016; 291(50):26138-26150 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
The pyruvate kinase (PK) is a rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme catalyzing the dephosphorylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate, yielding one molecule of ATP. The M2 isoform of PK (PKM2) is predominantly expressed in normal proliferating cells and tumors, and both metabolic and non-metabolic activities for the enzyme in promoting tumor cell proliferation have been identified. However, the exact roles of PKM2 in tumor initiation, growth and maintenance are not yet fully understood. Using immunoprecipitation-coupled LC-MS/MS in MCF7 cells exposed to DNA-damaging agent, we report that the nuclear PKM2 interacts directly with P53 protein, a critical safeguard for genome stability. Specifically, PKM2 inhibits P53-dependent transactivation of the P21 gene by preventing P53 binding to the P21 promoter, leading to a nonstop G

Dilley RL, Verma P, Cho NW, et al.
Break-induced telomere synthesis underlies alternative telomere maintenance.
Nature. 2016; 539(7627):54-58 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Homology-directed DNA repair is essential for genome maintenance through templated DNA synthesis. Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) necessitates homology-directed DNA repair to maintain telomeres in about 10-15% of human cancers. How DNA damage induces assembly and execution of a DNA replication complex (break-induced replisome) at telomeres or elsewhere in the mammalian genome is poorly understood. Here we define break-induced telomere synthesis and demonstrate that it utilizes a specialized replisome, which underlies ALT telomere maintenance. DNA double-strand breaks enact nascent telomere synthesis by long-tract unidirectional replication. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) loading by replication factor C (RFC) acts as the initial sensor of telomere damage to establish predominance of DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ) through its POLD3 subunit. Break-induced telomere synthesis requires the RFC-PCNA-Pol δ axis, but is independent of other canonical replisome components, ATM and ATR, or the homologous recombination protein Rad51. Thus, the inception of telomere damage recognition by the break-induced replisome orchestrates homology-directed telomere maintenance.

Choi M, Kipps T, Kurzrock R
ATM Mutations in Cancer: Therapeutic Implications.
Mol Cancer Ther. 2016; 15(8):1781-91 [PubMed] Related Publications
Activation of checkpoint arrest and homologous DNA repair are necessary for maintenance of genomic integrity during DNA replication. Germ-line mutations of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene result in the well-characterized ataxia telangiectasia syndrome, which manifests with an increased cancer predisposition, including a 20% to 30% lifetime risk of lymphoid, gastric, breast, central nervous system, skin, and other cancers. Somatic ATM mutations or deletions are commonly found in lymphoid malignancies, as well as a variety of solid tumors. Such mutations may result in chemotherapy resistance and adverse prognosis, but may also be exploited by existing or emerging targeted therapies that produce synthetic lethal states. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(8); 1781-91. ©2016 AACR.

Huang S, Zhang Y, Zeng T
Effect of ATM-111 (G>A) Polymorphism on Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis.
Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2016; 20(7):359-66 [PubMed] Related Publications
OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene-111 (G>A) polymorphism and cancer risk.
METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched comprehensively. A total of 16 case-control studies with 12,273 cases and 13,046 controls were included in this meta-analysis; 12 of them were from the Chinese population. Five studies assessed smoking effects, including 3038 smokers and 1003 nonsmokers. Odds ratio (OR) was determined by using a genetic model-free approach. Heterogeneity was quantified by I(2) statistics. Publication bias was also evaluated.
RESULTS: The recessive model (AA vs. AG + GG) was suggested as the most appropriate genetic model. After elimination of heterogeneity, it was found that the ATM-111 (G>A) AA genotype is significantly associated with increased susceptibility to overall cancer risk in a fixed effects model (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.03-1.15; p < 0.01; I(2) < 0.01). In the subgroup analysis, the result of pooled analyses among the Chinese population revealed similar associations (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.04-1.22; p < 0.01; I(2) < 0.01). As for specific cancer analysis, an increase was correlated with lung cancer risk (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.01-1.24; p = 0.03) and breast cancer risk (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.00-1.16; p = 0.05). In addition, a stronger association was found among nonsmokers (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.13-1.52; p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that AA genotype of the ATM-111 gene (G>A) may be a risk factor for breast cancer and lung cancer, especially among nonsmokers, within the Chinese population.

Jun DW, Hwang M, Kim YH, et al.
DDRI-9: a novel DNA damage response inhibitor that blocks mitotic progression.
Oncotarget. 2016; 7(14):17699-710 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
The DNA damage response (DDR) is an emerging target for cancer therapy. By modulating the DDR, including DNA repair and cell cycle arrest, the efficacy of anticancer drugs can be enhanced and side effects reduced. We previously screened a chemical library and identified novel DDR inhibitors including DNA damage response inhibitor-9 (DDRI-9; 1H-Purine-2,6-dione,7-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-3,7-dihydro-3-methyl-8-nitro). In this study, we characterized DDRI-9 activity and found that it inhibited phosphorylated histone variant H2AX foci formation upon DNA damage, delayed DNA repair, and enhanced the cytotoxicity of etoposide and ionizing radiation. It also reduced the foci formation of DNA repair-related proteins, including the protein kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated, DNA-dependent protein kinase, breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein, and p53-binding protein 1, but excluding mediator of DNA damage checkpoint protein 1. Cell cycle analysis revealed that DDRI-9 blocked mitotic progression. Like other mitotic inhibitors, DDRI-9 treatment resulted in the accumulation of mitotic protein and induced cell death. Thus, DDRI-9 may affect both DDR signal amplification and mitotic progression. This study suggests that DDRI-9 is a good lead molecule for the development of anticancer drugs.

Laitman Y, Boker-Keinan L, Berkenstadt M, et al.
The risk for developing cancer in Israeli ATM, BLM, and FANCC heterozygous mutation carriers.
Cancer Genet. 2016; 209(3):70-4 [PubMed] Related Publications
Cancer risks in heterozygous mutation carriers of the ATM, BLM, and FANCC genes are controversial. To shed light on this issue, cancer rates were evaluated by cross referencing asymptomatic Israeli heterozygous mutation carriers in the ATM, BLM, and FANCC genes with cancer diagnoses registered at the Israeli National Cancer Registry (INCR). Comparison of observed to expected Standardized Incidence Rates (SIR) was performed. Overall, 474 individuals participated in the study: 378 females; 25 Arab and 31 Jewish ATM carriers, 152 BLM carriers, and 170 FANCC carriers (all Ashkenazim). Age range at genotyping was 19-53 years (mean + SD 30.6 + 5 years). In addition, 96 males were included; 5, 34, and 57 ATM, BLM, and FANCC mutation carriers, respectively. Over 5-16 years from genotyping (4721 person/years), 15 new cancers were diagnosed in mutation carriers: 5 breast, 4 cervical, 3 melanomas, and one each bone sarcoma, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer. No single cancer diagnosis was more prevalent then expected in all groups combined or per gene analyzed. Specifically breast cancer SIR was 0.02-0.77. We conclude that Israeli ATM, BLM, and FANCC heterozygous mutation carriers are not at an increased risk for developing cancer.

Awasthi P, Foiani M, Kumar A
ATM and ATR signaling at a glance.
J Cell Sci. 2015; 128(23):4255-62 [PubMed] Related Publications
ATM and ATR signaling pathways are well conserved throughout evolution and are central to the maintenance of genome integrity. Although the role of both ATM and ATR in DNA repair, cell cycle regulation and apoptosis have been well studied, both still remain in the focus of current research activities owing to their role in cancer. Recent advances in the field suggest that these proteins have an additional function in maintaining cellular homeostasis under both stressed and non-stressed conditions. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we present an overview of recent advances in ATR and ATM research with emphasis on that into the modes of ATM and ATR activation, the different signaling pathways they participate in - including those that do not involve DNA damage - and highlight their relevance in cancer.

Scanlon SE, Glazer PM
Multifaceted control of DNA repair pathways by the hypoxic tumor microenvironment.
DNA Repair (Amst). 2015; 32:180-189 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Hypoxia, as a pervasive feature in the microenvironment of solid tumors, plays a significant role in cancer progression, metastasis, and ultimately clinical outcome. One key cellular consequence of hypoxic stress is the regulation of DNA repair pathways, which contributes to the genomic instability and mutator phenotype observed in human cancers. Tumor hypoxia can vary in severity and duration, ranging from acute fluctuating hypoxia arising from temporary blockages in the immature microvasculature, to chronic moderate hypoxia due to sparse vasculature, to complete anoxia at distances more than 150 μM from the nearest blood vessel. Paralleling the intra-tumor heterogeneity of hypoxia, the effects of hypoxia on DNA repair occur through diverse mechanisms. Acutely, hypoxia activates DNA damage signaling pathways, primarily via post-translational modifications. On a longer timescale, hypoxia leads to transcriptional and/or translational downregulation of most DNA repair pathways including DNA double-strand break repair, mismatch repair, and nucleotide excision repair. Furthermore, extended hypoxia can lead to long-term persistent silencing of certain DNA repair genes, including BRCA1 and MLH1, revealing a mechanism by which tumor suppressor genes can be inactivated. The discoveries of the hypoxic modulation of DNA repair pathways have highlighted many potential ways to target susceptibilities of hypoxic cancer cells. In this review, we will discuss the multifaceted hypoxic control of DNA repair at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels, and we will offer perspective on the future of its clinical implications.

Vermezovic J, Adamowicz M, Santarpia L, et al.
Notch is a direct negative regulator of the DNA-damage response.
Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2015; 22(5):417-24 [PubMed] Related Publications
The DNA-damage response (DDR) ensures genome stability and proper inheritance of genetic information, both of which are essential to survival. It is presently unclear to what extent other signaling pathways modulate DDR function. Here we show that Notch receptor binds and inactivates ATM kinase and that this mechanism is evolutionarily conserved in Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus laevis and humans. In C. elegans, the Notch pathway impairs DDR signaling in gonad germ cells. In mammalian cells, activation of human Notch1 leads to reduced ATM signaling in a manner independent of Notch1 transcriptional activity. Notch1 binds directly to the regulatory FATC domain of ATM and inhibits ATM kinase activity. Notch1 and ATM activation are inversely correlated in human breast cancers, and inactivation of ATM by Notch1 contributes to the survival of Notch1-driven leukemia cells upon DNA damage.

Su M, Yin ZH, Wu W, et al.
Meta-analysis of associations between ATM Asp1853Asn and TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms and adverse effects of cancer radiotherapy.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014; 15(24):10675-81 [PubMed] Related Publications
BACKGROUND: The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein and p53 play key roles in sensing and repairing radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). Accumulating epidemiological evidence indicates that functional genetic variants in ATM and TP53 genes may have an impact on the risk of radiotherapy-induced side effects. Here we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the potential interaction between ATM Asp1853Asn and TP53 polymorphisms and risk of radiotherapy-induced adverse effects quantitatively.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, ISI Web of Science and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. Eligible studies were selected according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled to estimate the association between ATM Asp1853Asn and TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms and risk of radiotherapy adverse effects. All analyses were performed using the Stata software.
RESULTS: A total of twenty articles were included in the present analysis. In the overall analysis, no significant associations between ATM Asp1853Asn and TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms and the risk of radiotherapy adverse effects were found. We conducted subgroup analysis stratified by type of cancer, region and time of appearance of side effects subsequently. No significant association between ATM Asp1853Asn and risk of radiotherapy adverse effects was found in any subgroup analysis. For TP53 Arg72Pro, variant C allele was associated with decreased radiotherapy adverse effects risk among Asian cancer patients in the stratified analysis by region (OR=0.71, 95%CI: 0.54-0.93, p=0.012). No significant results were found in the subgroup analysis of tumor type and time of appearance of side effects.
CONCLUSIONS: The TP53 Arg72Pro C allele might be a protective factor of radiotherapy-induced adverse effects among cancer patients from Asia. Further studies that take into consideration treatment-related factors and patient lifestyle including environmental exposures are warranted.

Zhang P, Wang L, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, et al.
miR-205 acts as a tumour radiosensitizer by targeting ZEB1 and Ubc13.
Nat Commun. 2014; 5:5671 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Tumour cells associated with therapy resistance (radioresistance and drug resistance) are likely to give rise to local recurrence and distant metastatic relapse. Recent studies revealed microRNA (miRNA)-mediated regulation of metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition; however, whether specific miRNAs regulate tumour radioresistance and can be exploited as radiosensitizing agents remains unclear. Here we find that miR-205 promotes radiosensitivity and is downregulated in radioresistant subpopulations of breast cancer cells, and that loss of miR-205 is highly associated with poor distant relapse-free survival in breast cancer patients. Notably, therapeutic delivery of miR-205 mimics via nanoliposomes can sensitize the tumour to radiation in a xenograft model. Mechanistically, radiation suppresses miR-205 expression through ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1). Moreover, miR-205 inhibits DNA damage repair by targeting ZEB1 and the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ubc13. These findings identify miR-205 as a radiosensitizing miRNA and reveal a new therapeutic strategy for radioresistant tumours.

Vecchio D, Frosina G
Targeting the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Protein in Cancer Therapy.
Curr Drug Targets. 2016; 17(2):139-53 [PubMed] Related Publications
Genotoxic anticancer drugs explicate their effects damaging DNA, thus triggering a coordinated signal-transduction network called DNA Damage Response (DDR). Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) protein plays a central role in this response: activated by DNA damage, ATM phosphorylates itself and downstream effectors that arrest cell cycle allowing for DNA repair or, should DNA damage be too severe and not retrievable, inducing apoptosis. ATM is a worth-investigating target for tumor radio- and chemosensitization. During last years, pharmaceutical industries and research laboratories have developed a series of small molecules, capable to inhibit ATM with increasing specificity. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that these inhibitors alone or in association with other treatments may improve therapeutic outcomes. In this review we discuss ATM inhibitors so far developed, focussing on recent acquisitions on their potential antineoplastic usefulness.

Abu-Odeh M, Salah Z, Herbel C, et al.
WWOX, the common fragile site FRA16D gene product, regulates ATM activation and the DNA damage response.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014; 111(44):E4716-25 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer. The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a tumor suppressor spanning the common chromosomal fragile site FRA16D. Here, we report a direct role of WWOX in DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair. We show that Wwox deficiency results in reduced activation of the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) checkpoint kinase, inefficient induction and maintenance of γ-H2AX foci, and impaired DNA repair. Mechanistically, we show that, upon DNA damage, WWOX accumulates in the cell nucleus, where it interacts with ATM and enhances its activation. Nuclear accumulation of WWOX is regulated by its K63-linked ubiquitination at lysine residue 274, which is mediated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase ITCH. These findings identify a novel role for the tumor suppressor WWOX and show that loss of WWOX expression may drive genomic instability and provide an advantage for clonal expansion of neoplastic cells.

Shinbrot E, Henninger EE, Weinhold N, et al.
Exonuclease mutations in DNA polymerase epsilon reveal replication strand specific mutation patterns and human origins of replication.
Genome Res. 2014; 24(11):1740-50 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Tumors with somatic mutations in the proofreading exonuclease domain of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE-exo*) exhibit a novel mutator phenotype, with markedly elevated TCT→TAT and TCG→TTG mutations and overall mutation frequencies often exceeding 100 mutations/Mb. Here, we identify POLE-exo* tumors in numerous cancers and classify them into two groups, A and B, according to their mutational properties. Group A mutants are found only in POLE, whereas Group B mutants are found in POLE and POLD1 and appear to be nonfunctional. In Group A, cell-free polymerase assays confirm that mutations in the exonuclease domain result in high mutation frequencies with a preference for C→A mutation. We describe the patterns of amino acid substitutions caused by POLE-exo* and compare them to other tumor types. The nucleotide preference of POLE-exo* leads to increased frequencies of recurrent nonsense mutations in key tumor suppressors such as TP53, ATM, and PIK3R1. We further demonstrate that strand-specific mutation patterns arise from some of these POLE-exo* mutants during genome duplication. This is the first direct proof of leading strand-specific replication by human POLE, which has only been demonstrated in yeast so far. Taken together, the extremely high mutation frequency and strand specificity of mutations provide a unique identifier of eukaryotic origins of replication.

Andrs M, Korabecny J, Nepovimova E, et al.
The development of ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase inhibitors.
Mini Rev Med Chem. 2014; 14(10):805-11 [PubMed] Related Publications
Radiation and genotoxic drugs are two of the cornerstones of current cancer treatment strategy. However, this type of therapy often suffers from radio- or chemo-resistance caused by DNA repair mechanisms. With the aim of increasing the efficacy of these treatments, there has been great interest in studying DNA damage responses (DDR). Among the plethora of signal and effector proteins involved in DDR, three related kinases ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated), ATR (ATM and Rad3-related) and DNA-PK (DNA-dependent protein kinase) play the main roles in initiation and regulation of signaling pathways in response to DNA double and single strand breaks (DSB and SSB). ATM inhibitors, as well as those of ATR and DNA-PK, provide an opportunity to sensitize cancer cells to therapy. Moreover, they can lead to selective killing of cancer cells, exploiting a concept known as synthetic lethality. However, only a very few selective inhibitors have been identified to this date. This mini-review is focused both on the development of selective inhibitors of ATM and other inhibitors which have ATM as one of their targets.

Bakhoum SF, Kabeche L, Murnane JP, et al.
DNA-damage response during mitosis induces whole-chromosome missegregation.
Cancer Discov. 2014; 4(11):1281-9 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
UNLABELLED: Many cancers display both structural (s-CIN) and numerical (w-CIN) chromosomal instabilities. Defective chromosome segregation during mitosis has been shown to cause DNA damage that induces structural rearrangements of chromosomes (s-CIN). In contrast, whether DNA damage can disrupt mitotic processes to generate whole chromosomal instability (w-CIN) is unknown. Here, we show that activation of the DNA-damage response (DDR) during mitosis selectively stabilizes kinetochore-microtubule (k-MT) attachments to chromosomes through Aurora-A and PLK1 kinases, thereby increasing the frequency of lagging chromosomes during anaphase. Inhibition of DDR proteins, ATM or CHK2, abolishes the effect of DNA damage on k-MTs and chromosome segregation, whereas activation of the DDR in the absence of DNA damage is sufficient to induce chromosome segregation errors. Finally, inhibiting the DDR during mitosis in cancer cells with persistent DNA damage suppresses inherent chromosome segregation defects. Thus, the DDR during mitosis inappropriately stabilizes k-MTs, creating a link between s-CIN and w-CIN.
SIGNIFICANCE: The genome-protective role of the DDR depends on its ability to delay cell division until damaged DNA can be fully repaired. Here, we show that when DNA damage is induced during mitosis, the DDR unexpectedly induces errors in the segregation of entire chromosomes, thus linking structural and numerical chromosomal instabilities.

Al-Ahmadie H, Iyer G, Hohl M, et al.
Synthetic lethality in ATM-deficient RAD50-mutant tumors underlies outlier response to cancer therapy.
Cancer Discov. 2014; 4(9):1014-21 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
UNLABELLED: Metastatic solid tumors are almost invariably fatal. Patients with disseminated small-cell cancers have a particularly unfavorable prognosis, with most succumbing to their disease within two years. Here, we report on the genetic and functional analysis of an outlier curative response of a patient with metastatic small-cell cancer to combined checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) inhibition and DNA-damaging chemotherapy. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a clonal hemizygous mutation in the Mre11 complex gene RAD50 that attenuated ATM signaling which in the context of CHK1 inhibition contributed, via synthetic lethality, to extreme sensitivity to irinotecan. As Mre11 mutations occur in a diversity of human tumors, the results suggest a tumor-specific combination therapy strategy in which checkpoint inhibition in combination with DNA-damaging chemotherapy is synthetically lethal in tumor cells but not normal cells with somatic mutations that impair Mre11 complex function.
SIGNIFICANCE: Strategies to effect deep and lasting responses to cancer therapy in patients with metastatic disease have remained difficult to attain, especially in early-phase clinical trials. Here, we present an in-depth genomic and functional genetic analysis identifying RAD50 hypomorphism as a contributing factor to a curative response to systemic combination therapy in a patient with recurrent, metastatic small-cell cancer.

Mao A, Liu Y, Zhang H, et al.
microRNA expression and biogenesis in cellular response to ionizing radiation.
DNA Cell Biol. 2014; 33(10):667-79 [PubMed] Free Access to Full Article Related Publications
Increasing evidence demonstrates that the expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) significantly change upon ionizing radiation (IR) and play a critical role in cellular response to IR. Although several radiation responsive miRNAs and their targets have been identified, little is known about how miRNAs expression and biogenesis is regulated by IR-caused DNA damage response (DDR). Hence, in this review, we summarize miRNA expression and biogenesis in cellular response to IR and mainly elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of miRNA expression and biogenesis from different aspects including ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, p53/p63/p73 family and other potential factors. Furthermore, we focus on ΔNp73, which might be a potential regulator of miRNA expression and biogenesis in cellular response to IR. miRNAs could effectively activate the IR-induced DDR and modulate the radiation response and cellular radiosensitivity, which have an important potential clinical application. Therefore, thoroughly understanding the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs expression and biogenesis in radiation response will provide new insights for clinical cancer radiotherapy.

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