This application addresses broad Challenge Area (03) Biomarker Discovery and Validation and specific Challenge Topic, 03-CA-103 Reagents for rapid screening of human tumor cells for defects in DNA repair and/or replication. Defective DNA repair is common in tumors, and loss-of-function alleles of genes involved in double strand break (DSB) repair can cause hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. DSBs are the most dangerous form of DNA damage, since their misrepair can cause gross chromosomal arrangements and promote cancer. DSBs are repaired by one of two major pathways: homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The recent development of poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to sensitize tumor cells defective for HR (such as those lacking BRCA1 or BRCA2) has highlighted the therapeutic synergy inherent in targeting repair pathways other than HR in these cells. We believe that PARP inhibitors are not the only class of reagent that will show such synergy. We propose that NHEJ inhibition in cells defective for HR may represent an additional target for cancer therapy. To this end, we have developed a novel, rapid and highly sensitive assay for NHEJ in mammalian cells. We proposed to use this and existing HR assays, developed by us, for the following three Aims:
Aim 1. By conducting a siRNA screen for genes that promote NHEJ, to identify new genes that regulate mammalian NHEJ.
Aim 2. By conducting a chemical screen for compounds that inhibit mammalian NHEJ, to identify new therapeutics that inhibit mammalian NHEJ.
Aim 3. To develop a rapid, sensitive and quantitative assay for screening of human tumor cells for defects in homologous recombination.

Public Health Relevance

Defects in double strand break (DSB) repair are common in human cancers, and offer an exciting potential new target for therapy of human cancer. New tools developed in our laboratory will allow us to rapidly screen the human genome for new genes that regulate DSB repair. We will use the same technology to identify new molecules that target DSB repair for therapy, and to rapidly assess human cancers for defective DSB repair.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
NIH Challenge Grants and Partnerships Program (RC1)
Project #
1RC1CA145867-01
Application #
7825831
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-OTC-K (58))
Program Officer
Pelroy, Richard
Project Start
2009-09-30
Project End
2011-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-30
Budget End
2010-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$502,557
Indirect Cost
Name
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
071723621
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
Liu, Xue-Song; Chandramouly, Gurushankar; Rass, Emilie et al. (2015) LRF maintains genome integrity by regulating the non-homologous end joining pathway of DNA repair. Nat Commun 6:8325
Liu, Pengda; Gan, Wenjian; Guo, Chunguang et al. (2015) Akt-mediated phosphorylation of XLF impairs non-homologous end-joining DNA repair. Mol Cell 57:648-661
Chandramouly, Gurushankar; Kwok, Amy; Huang, Bin et al. (2013) BRCA1 and CtIP suppress long-tract gene conversion between sister chromatids. Nat Commun 4:2404
Scully, Ralph; Xie, Anyong (2013) Double strand break repair functions of histone H2AX. Mutat Res 750:5-14
Hartlerode, Andrea J; Guan, Yinghua; Rajendran, Anbazhagan et al. (2012) Impact of histone H4 lysine 20 methylation on 53BP1 responses to chromosomal double strand breaks. PLoS One 7:e49211
Juvekar, Ashish; Burga, Laura N; Hu, Hai et al. (2012) Combining a PI3K inhibitor with a PARP inhibitor provides an effective therapy for BRCA1-related breast cancer. Cancer Discov 2:1048-63
Chandramouly, Gurushankar; Willis, Nicholas A; Scully, Ralph (2011) A protective role for BRCA2 at stalled replication forks. Breast Cancer Res 13:314
Pathania, Shailja; Nguyen, Jenna; Hill, Sarah J et al. (2011) BRCA1 is required for postreplication repair after UV-induced DNA damage. Mol Cell 44:235-51
Dumitrache, Lavinia C; Hu, Lingchuan; Son, Mi Young et al. (2011) Trex2 enables spontaneous sister chromatid exchanges without facilitating DNA double-strand break repair. Genetics 188:787-97
Hartlerode, Andrea; Odate, Shobu; Shim, Inbo et al. (2011) Cell cycle-dependent induction of homologous recombination by a tightly regulated I-SceI fusion protein. PLoS One 6:e16501

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