XPC deficiency increases risk of hematologic malignancies through mutator phenotype and characteristic mutational signature

Nat Commun. 2020 Nov 17;11(1):5834. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19633-9.

Abstract

Recent studies demonstrated a dramatically increased risk of leukemia in patients with a rare genetic disorder, Xeroderma Pigmentosum group C (XP-C), characterized by constitutive deficiency of global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER). The genetic mechanisms of non-skin cancers in XP-C patients remain unexplored. In this study, we analyze a unique collection of internal XP-C tumor genomes including 6 leukemias and 2 sarcomas. We observe a specific mutational pattern and an average of 25-fold increase of mutation rates in XP-C versus sporadic leukemia which we presume leads to its elevated incidence and early appearance. We describe a strong mutational asymmetry with respect to transcription and the direction of replication in XP-C tumors suggesting association of mutagenesis with bulky purine DNA lesions of probably endogenous origin. These findings suggest existence of a balance between formation and repair of bulky DNA lesions by GG-NER in human body cells which is disrupted in XP-C patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Repair
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Leukemia / genetics
  • Mutation Rate*
  • Whole Genome Sequencing
  • Xeroderma Pigmentosum / genetics*
  • Xeroderma Pigmentosum / pathology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • XPC protein, human

Supplementary concepts

  • Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Complementation Group C