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Targeted Next-generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Pipeline to Evaluate Genetic Determinants of Constitutional Disease
Published on: April 4, 2018
Apoptotic function of human PMS2 compromised by the nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphic variant R20Q
Ivana Marinovic-Terzic1, Atsuko Yoshioka-Yamashita, Hideki Shimodaira
1Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
The postmeiotic segregation 2 (PMS2) protein is crucial for cisplatin chemotherapy effectiveness. A common PMS2 variant (R20Q) impairs this DNA repair pathway, potentially affecting cancer treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- DNA mismatch repair (MMR) corrects DNA replication errors and triggers apoptosis in response to DNA damage.
- MMR-deficient cells exhibit resistance to cisplatin chemotherapy due to impaired apoptotic signaling.
- The MMR protein PMS2 is essential for activating p73-dependent apoptosis following cisplatin treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of PMS2 variants in cisplatin-induced apoptosis.
- To determine if the PMS2(R20Q) variant affects the apoptotic response to cisplatin.
- To assess the impact of PMS2 polymorphism on chemotherapy efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Functional analysis of PMS2 and its variant (R20Q) in Pms2-deficient mouse fibroblasts.
- Assessment of p73 activation and apoptosis induction in response to cisplatin.
- Clonogenic survival assays to measure cisplatin cytotoxicity.
Main Results:
- The PMS2(R20Q) variant was defective in activating p73-dependent apoptosis following cisplatin exposure.
- Expression of PMS2(R20Q) in Pms2-deficient cells inhibited the apoptotic response to cisplatin.
- Wild-type PMS2, but not PMS2(R20Q), enhanced the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin.
Conclusions:
- The PMS2(R20Q) variant lacks proapoptotic activity, disrupting cisplatin-induced DNA damage response.
- This polymorphic PMS2 allele may influence individual patient responses to cisplatin-based chemotherapy.
- Understanding PMS2 variants could personalize cancer treatment strategies.
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