
Hus1 regulates in vivo responses to genotoxic chemotherapies
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ABSTRACT Cells are under constant attack from genotoxins and rely on a multifaceted DNA damage response (DDR) network to maintain genomic integrity. Central to the DDR are the ATM and ATR
kinases, which respond primarily to double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) and replication stress, respectively. Optimal ATR signaling requires the RAD9A-RAD1-HUS1 (9-1-1) complex, a toroidal clamp
that is loaded at damage sites and scaffolds signaling and repair factors. Whereas complete ATR pathway inactivation causes embryonic lethality, partial _Hus1_ impairment has been
accomplished in adult mice using hypomorphic (_Hus1__neo_) and null _(Hus1__Δ1_) _Hus1_ alleles, and here we use this system to define the tissue- and cell type-specific actions of the
HUS1-mediated DDR _in vivo_. _Hus1__neo/Δ1_ mice showed hypersensitivity to agents that cause replication stress, including the crosslinking agent mitomycin C (MMC) and the replication
inhibitor hydroxyurea, but not the DSB inducer ionizing radiation. Analysis of tissue morphology, genomic instability, cell proliferation and apoptosis revealed that MMC treatment caused
severe damage in highly replicating tissues of mice with partial _Hus1_ inactivation. The role of the 9-1-1 complex in responding to MMC was partially ATR-independent, as a HUS1 mutant that
was proficient for ATR-induced checkpoint kinase 1 phosphorylation nevertheless conferred MMC hypersensitivity. To assess the interplay between the ATM and ATR pathways in responding to
replication stress _in vivo_, we used _Hus1/Atm_ double mutant mice. Whereas _Hus1__neo/neo_ and _Atm__−/−_ single mutant mice survived low-dose MMC similar to wild-type controls,
_Hus1__neo/neo__Atm__−/−_ double mutants showed striking MMC hypersensitivity, consistent with a model in which MMC exposure in the context of _Hus1_ dysfunction results in DSBs to which the
ATM pathway normally responds. This improved understanding of the inter-dependency between two major DDR mechanisms during the response to a conventional chemotherapeutic illustrates how
inhibition of checkpoint factors such as HUS1 may be effective for the treatment of ATM-deficient and other cancers. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of
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DNA REPLICATION STRESS, DNA REPAIR, AND CANCER Article 06 August 2024 TDP1-INDEPENDENT PATHWAYS IN THE PROCESS AND REPAIR OF TOP1-INDUCED DNA DAMAGE Article Open access 22 July 2022
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Google Scholar Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Amy Lyndaker, Steve Jackson and Yaron Galanti for helpful discussions and comments on the manuscript; Natasha Karp for help with
statistical analysis and the staff of the Cornell Lab Animal Services and CARE programs for excellent animal care. This work was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant R01
CA108773 to RSW; a Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Graduate Research Assistantship to GB; a Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Fellowship to KRH;
and a National Center for Research Resources grant (S10RR023781) for instrumentation. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY, USA G Balmus, P X Lim, A Oswald, K R Hume, A Cassano, J Pierre, A Hill, T Southard & R S Weiss * Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA K R Hume
* Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA W Huang & A August * Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY, USA T Stokol Authors * G Balmus View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * P X Lim View author publications You can also search for
this author inPubMed Google Scholar * A Oswald View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * K R Hume View author publications You can also search
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search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * A Hill View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * W Huang View author publications You can also
search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * A August View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * T Stokol View author publications You can
also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * T Southard View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * R S Weiss View author publications You
can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to R S Weiss. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no conflict of
interest. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on the Oncogene website SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION (PDF 7352 KB) RIGHTS AND
PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Balmus, G., Lim, P., Oswald, A. _et al._ HUS1 regulates _in vivo_ responses to genotoxic chemotherapies. _Oncogene_
35, 662–669 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2015.118 Download citation * Received: 01 July 2014 * Revised: 08 March 2015 * Accepted: 10 March 2015 * Published: 27 April 2015 * Issue
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