Role of apurinic/apyrimidinic nucleases in the regulation of homologous recombination in myeloma: mechanisms and translational significance

Blood Cancer J. 2018 Sep 25;8(10):92. doi: 10.1038/s41408-018-0129-9.

Abstract

We have previously reported that homologous recombination (HR) is dysregulated in multiple myeloma (MM) and contributes to genomic instability and development of drug resistance. We now demonstrate that base excision repair (BER) associated apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) nucleases (APEX1 and APEX2) contribute to regulation of HR in MM cells. Transgenic as well as chemical inhibition of APEX1 and/or APEX2 inhibits HR activity in MM cells, whereas the overexpression of either nuclease in normal human cells, increases HR activity. Regulation of HR by AP nucleases could be attributed, at least in part, to their ability to regulate recombinase (RAD51) expression. We also show that both nucleases interact with major HR regulators and that APEX1 is involved in P73-mediated regulation of RAD51 expression in MM cells. Consistent with the role in HR, we also show that AP-knockdown or treatment with inhibitor of AP nuclease activity increases sensitivity of MM cells to melphalan and PARP inhibitor. Importantly, although inhibition of AP nuclease activity increases cytotoxicity, it reduces genomic instability caused by melphalan. In summary, we show that APEX1 and APEX2, major BER proteins, also contribute to regulation of HR in MM. These data provide basis for potential use of AP nuclease inhibitors in combination with chemotherapeutics such as melphalan for synergistic cytotoxicity in MM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Damage
  • DNA Repair
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase / genetics
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase / metabolism*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Endonucleases
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genomic Instability
  • Homologous Recombination*
  • Humans
  • Melphalan / pharmacology
  • Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective
  • Multifunctional Enzymes
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics*
  • Multiple Myeloma / metabolism*
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Interaction Maps
  • Rad51 Recombinase / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Translational Research, Biomedical

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
  • Multifunctional Enzymes
  • Rad51 Recombinase
  • Endonucleases
  • APEX1 protein, human
  • APEX2 protein, human
  • DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase
  • Melphalan