HJURP knockdown disrupts clonogenic capacity and increases radiation-induced cell death of glioblastoma cells

Cancer Gene Ther. 2020 May;27(5):319-329. doi: 10.1038/s41417-019-0103-0. Epub 2019 May 29.

Abstract

The Holliday Junction-Recognition Protein (HJURP) was reported as overexpressed in several cancers and also strongly correlated with poor prognosis of patients, especially in glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and deadly type of primary brain tumor. HJURP is responsible for loading the histone H3 variant-the Centromeric Protein A (CENP-A)-at the centromeres in a cell cycle-regulated manner, being required for proper chromosome segregation. Here we investigated HJURP association with survival and radioresistance of different GBM cell lines. HJURP knockdown compromised the clonogenic capacity and severely impaired survival of five distinct GBM cells, while nontumor astrocytes were not affected. U251MG cells showed a robust cell cycle arrest in G2/M phases followed by a drastic increment in cell death after HJURP silencing, while U138MG and U343MG cell lines presented augmented senescence with a comparable increase in cell death. Importantly, we verified that the impact on cell cycle dynamics and clonogenic survival were associated with loss CENP-A at the centromeres. Moreover, radiation resistance was also impacted by HJURP modulation in several GBM cell lines. U87MG, T98G, U138MG, and U343MG cells were all sensitized to ionizing radiation after HJURP reduction. These data reinforce the requirement of HJURP for proliferative capacity and radioresistance of tumor cells, underlining its potential as a promising therapeutic target for GBM.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / radiation effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Cell Survival / radiation effects
  • Centromere / metabolism
  • Centromere / radiation effects
  • Centromere Protein A / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Glioblastoma / radiotherapy*
  • Humans
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / radiation effects*
  • Radiation Tolerance / genetics
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay

Substances

  • CENPA protein, human
  • Centromere Protein A
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HJURP protein, human