Various inhibitors of DNA topoisomerases diminish repair-specific DNA incision in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts.

A function for topoisomerases I and II in DNA excision repair can be postulated from the organization of the mammalian chromosome, involving nucleosomal structures and matrix-attached DNA loops. To analyse this function we determined UV-induced DNA incision in confluent human fibroblasts in the presence of 16 inhibitors of topoisomerases I and II which belonged to at least five different drug categories, based on their mechanism of action. Dose-response experiments were performed, analysed by linear regression and the concentrations at which DNA-incising activity was reduced to 50% were calculated (K50 values). The majority of these values represent concentrations for which interfering cell toxicity could be excluded. K50 concentrations, which were determined by extrapolating dose-response data, may hit the toxicity range, nevertheless, we deem our K50 scale useful for making biochemical comparisons. With respect to topoisomerase I, camptothecin and topotecan diminished repair-specific DNA incision to a small extent, whereas distamycin, which binds to the minor groove of DNA, caused a stronger effect. With respect to topoisomerase II the results were as follows. (i) The DNA intercalator ethidium bromide decreased DNA-incising activity at rather low concentrations, which indicates marked inhibitory potency. Quinacrine was less effective. (ii) Inhibitors intercalating and binding to the 'cleavable' DNA-topoisomerase complex (m-AMSA, mitoxantrone, doxorubicin and daunorubicin) strongly suppressed reparative DNA incision. (iii) Only small effects were observed using several drugs which act by trapping the 'cleavable' DNA-enzyme complex, namely nalidixic acid and oxolinic acid. In contrast, etoposide and teniposide inhibited post-UV DNA cleavage sizeably. (iv) Merbarone had to be applied at very high concentrations to reduce UV-induced DNA incision. (v) Novobiocin, an inhibitor of the ATPase subunit of topoisomerase II, markedly diminished repair-specific DNA cleavage. A comparison of the K50 values for DNA incision with those for DNA repair synthesis (1) shows that the majority of the investigated drugs inhibited both repair parameters. There were, however, differences in the concentrations required to achieve the 50% inhibition level. The results are best explained by assuming that in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts the 180 kd form of topoisomerase II is a target enzyme for inhibitors which suppressed repair and that this isozyme is involved in steps preceding repair-specific DNA incision.

Carcinogen-induced DNA repair in nucleotide-permeable Escherichia coli cells. Analysis of DNA repair induced by carcinogenic K-region epoxides and 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane.

Ether-permeabilized (nucleotide-permeable) Escherichia coli cells exhibited DNA excision repair when exposed to the following carcinogenic K-region epoxides: 7-methyl- and 7,12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide, chrysene-5,6-oxide and benzo[a]pyrene-4,5-oxide. This DNA excision repair was missing in uvr A and uvr B mutant cells. The K-region epoxide phenanthrene-9,10-oxide was ineffective in all E. coli strains tested. In contrast to the K-region epoxides which where found active only in wild type cells, 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane and the 6,7-epoxides of the tumor promoter TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate) elicited DNA repair in uvrA, uvrB mutant cells as well. Enzymic activities catalyzing particular repair steps were identified by determining a) repair polymerization and b) size reduction of denatured DNA. A) An easily quantifiable effect in E. coli wild type cells was epoxide-induced repair polymerization. None of the K-region epoxides tested stimulated DNA repair synthesis in uvrA, uvrB mutant cells, indicating that the uvrA-, uvrB-controlled UV-endonuclease initiated excision repair by cleaving epoxide-damaged DNA. 1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane and the TPA-6,7-oxides induced DNA repair polymerization in uvr-deficient cells, although to a lesser extent than in wild type cells, suggesting the involvement of uvr-independent incision steps. None of the epoxides induced repair polymerization in a mutant (polA107) lacking the 5'--3'exonucleolytic activity of DNA polymerase I (exonuclease VI). The absence of any repair polymerization in the polA107 mutant indicates that the exonuclease VI plays a central role in removing epoxide-damaged nucleotides. As evidenced by greatly reduced levels of repair polymerization measured in polA1 cells, DNA polymerase I was the main polymerizing enzyme. b) As a consequence of treatment with 7-methyl-benz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide, DNA from wild type cells, contrary to uvrA mutant cells, showed size reduction after denaturation and sedimentation in alkaline sucrose gradients. This is explained by repair-specific endonucleolytic cleavage of damaged DNA. The incision required the presence of ATP indicating that functional UV-endonuclease needs ATP as a cofactor.

The nucleotide-permeable Escherichia coli cell, a sensitive DNA repair indicator for carcinogens, mutagens, and antitumor agents binding covalently to DNA.

Ether-permeabilized (nucleotide-permeable) Escherichia coli cells respond to alkylating and arylalkylating carcinogens with DNA excision repair, as assessed by their stimulation of DNA repair synthesis. In the present work, we have investigated whether DNA repair synthesis in ether-treated E. coli cells can serve as a general indicator to monitor the DNA-binding of carcinogens, mutagens and antitumor agents. Therefore, a standard assay was developed and comparative analyses were performed on 11 ultimate carcinogens, 10 proximate carcinogens, 2 tumor promoters, 6 mutagens, and 12 antitumor agents. All ultimate carcinogens (alkylating, acylating, arylalkylating agents) and mutagens (e.g., hydrogeen peroxide, acridine derivatives) caused DNA excision repair in wild type cells as measured by [3H] dTMP incorporation and simultaneously inhibited replicative DNA synthesis to various extents. Control experiments with the mutant cells uvrA and uvrB were performed to determine whether the pyrimidine-dimer-specific UV-endonuclease was involved in the removal of DNA damage. This was found to be true for the ultimate carcinogens (Ac)2 ONFln, mitomycin C, and for very reactive alkylating carcinogens. None of the ultimate carcinogens induced repair polymerization in mutant cells lacking the 5'-3' exonucleolytic activity of DNA polymerase I. Proximate carcinogens, such as Me2NNO, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide and aflatoxins, did not induce excision repair in the standard assay, probably because of the inability of E. coli to perform the activation steps necessary for covalent DNA-binding. However, Me2NNO, when pretreated with Udenfriend's hydroxylating mixture, gave rise to a low level of repair polymerization in ether-treated cells. Intercalating mutagens, such as quinacrine and ethidum bromide, inhibited replicative DNA synthesis. However, they were not found to be repair-inducers. THE TUMOR PROMOters TPA and phorbol-12,13-didecanoate did not cause excision repair, even when applied at high concentrations, nor did they inhibit repair synthesis stimulated by MeNOUr or (Ac)2 ONFln. The antitumor agents may be classified into two groups on the basis of the influence they exert on DNA synthesis: members of the first group (involving BCNU and bleomycin) stimulate repair polymerization and, in addition, inhibit DNA replication. These compounds are known to bind covalently to DNA. The second group of drugs (including adriamycin and cis-Pt(II)diammine complexes) inhibits DNA replication without stimulating repair synthesis. The predominant DNA-interaction of these compounds is known to be a non-covalent (i.e., intercalative, electrostatic) binding. Our experiments show that the ether-permeabilized E. coli cell can be successfully used to test ultimate carcinogens, mutagens and antitumor agents for repair-inducing and replication-inhibiting activity. The standard test might be extended to pre- and proximate carcinogens, provided these can be suitably activated.