Molecular and Cellular Biology, April 2009, p. 1989-1998, Vol. 29, No. 8
0270-7306/09/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/MCB.00552-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Francesca Guerrieri,3,5,
Stefania Vossio,1,3
Tiziana Bruno,2
Laura Belloni,1,4
Valeria Schinzari,3
Cecilia Scisciani,1,2
Maurizio Fanciulli,2 and
Massimo Levrero1,2,3,4,5*
Laboratory of Gene Expression, Fondazione A Cesalpino, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy,1 Rome Oncogenomic Center, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Via delle Messi d'Oro 156, 00158 Rome, Italy,2 INSERM U785/Sapienza Università, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy,3 Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti/Istituto Pasteur, Sapienza Università, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy,4 Department of Internal Medicine, Sapienza Università, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy5
Received 5 April 2008/ Returned for modification 7 July 2008/ Accepted 24 November 2008
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B-, and E2F1-dependent transcription. Here we show that the hSirT1/PCAF interaction controls the E2F1/p73 apoptotic pathway. hSirT1 represses E2F1-dependent P1p73 promoter activity in untreated cells and inhibits its activation in response to DNA damage. hSirT1, PCAF, and E2F1 are corecruited in vivo on theP1p73 promoter. hSirT1 deacetylates PCAF in vitro and modulates PCAF acetylation in vivo. In cells exposed to apoptotic DNA damage, nuclear NAD+ levels decrease and inactivate hSirT1 without altering the hSirT1 interaction with PCAF and hSirT1 binding to the P1p73 promoter. The reactivation of hSirT1 by pyruvate that increases the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio completely abolished the DNA damage-induced activation of TAp73 expression, thus linking the modulation of chromatin-bound hSirT1 deacetylase activity by the intracellular redox state with P1p73 promoter activity. The release of PCAF from hSirT1 repression favors the assembly of transcriptionally active PCAF/E2F1 complexes onto the P1p73 promoter and p53-independent apoptosis. Our results identify hSirT1 and PCAF as potential targets to modulate tumor cell survival and chemoresistance irrespective of p53 status. |
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B (31)-, and Forkhead (2)-dependent transcription. The role of hSirT1 in the regulation of mammalian cell survival in response to DNA damage is supported by several observations. hSirT1-deficient mice display increased levels of radiation-induced apoptosis and p53 hyperacetylation (4). hSirT1-dependent deacetylation attenuates the ability of p53 to trans-activate the cell cycle (p21) and apoptotic (bax) target genes (19, 28). The constitutive expression of the tumor suppressor hypermethylated in cancer 1 (Hic1) represses hSirT1 transcription, thereby allowing the accumulation of acetylated p53 species and the enhancement of p53-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis in response to DNA damage (3). hSirT1 deacetylase function also modulates p53-independent pathways involved in the DNA damage response. The targeted disruption of the SirT1 gene in p53-deficient cells strongly sensitizes cells to radiation-, cisplatin-, and etoposide-induced cell death (20). hSirT1 deacetylates the DNA damage repair protein Ku70, and deacetylated Ku70 prevents Bax translocation to mitochondria to initiate apoptosis (5). hSirT1 maintains the Nijmegen breakage syndrome protein (NBS1) hypoacetylated and susceptible to be phosphorylated by ATM in response to DNA damage (32). Finally, etoposide treatment results in the E2F1-dependent induction of hSirT1 expression, and the abrogation of hSirT1 expression sensitizes cells to E2F1-dependent apoptosis (30). The E2F family of transcription factors has critical roles in the control of cell proliferation and apoptosis (7). E2F transcriptional activity is tightly regulated during the cell cycle through the association with pRb or the related pocket proteins p107 and p130, leading, in quiescent cells, to the recruitment of transcriptional corepressors, including histone deacetylases (HDACs), methyltransferases, and polycomb group proteins, onto the promoters of proliferation-associated E2F target genes (7). As cells progress into the cell cycle, cyclin-dependent kinases phosphorylate pRb, releasing free E2F and allowing it to interact with transcriptional coactivators, and directly transactivate genes required for S-phase entry (7). E2F1 also upregulates the transcription of several genes involved in the activation or execution of apoptosis, including the Apaf-1, caspase 7, and p73 genes (16, 21, 22, 24).
The E2F1/p73 pathway is thought to play a major role in DNA-damaging drug-induced apoptosis and tumor chemosensitivity (6, 8, 9, 13, 23). In response to DNA damage, E2F1 is phosphorylated by Chk2 (26) and acetylated by PCAF (22). These posttranslational modifications potentiate E2F1 apoptotic activity and direct its selective recruitment onto the P1p73 promoter (23). Preexisting and newly synthesized TAp73 is then phosphorylated by the nuclear tyrosine kinase cAbl (13), acetylated by p300 (6), and assembled with the WW domain protein YAP to activate the transcription of downstream apoptotic target genes (27). The importance of the E2F1/p73 pathway is reinforced by the strong reduction in p53-independent apoptosis when either PCAF, p73, or YAP expression is abrogated by specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in cells exposed to DNA damage (23, 27).
Here we have investigated the mechanism of the hSirT1 regulation of different E2F1 apoptotic target genes, and we identified the functional interaction between PCAF and hSirT1 as an important determinant for E2F1-dependent p73-mediated apoptotic responses.
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Antibodies, plasmids, siRNAs, and chemicals.
The following antibodies were used: anti-E2F1 (C20) (rabbit polyclonal immunoglobulin G [IgG]), anti-E2F1 (monoclonal antibody [MAb] KH95) (mouse monoclonal IgG2a), anti-SirT1 (C20) (goat polyclonal), antiactin (I19) (goat polyclonal IgG), and antihemagglutinin (anti-HA) (Y11) epitope (rabbit polyclonal IgG) from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.; anti-FLAG epitope (M2) (mouse monoclonal IgG1) from Sigma, Inc; anti-p73 MAb (mouse IgG) from Imgenex, Inc. (clone 1288); anti-active caspase-3 (rabbit polyclonal), anti-cleaved caspase 9 (rabbit polyclonal), and anti-cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) (rabbit polyclonal) antibodies from Cell Signaling, Inc; anti-
-tubulin MAb (mouse monoclonal IgG1/k) from Neomarkers; anti-acetyl histone H4 (rabbit polyclonal), anti-HDAC1 (rabbit polyclonal), and anti-hSirT1 (mouse monoclonal IgG1) antibodies from Upstate Biotechnology, Inc.; anti-Myc epitope MAb (clone NE10) (mouse monoclonal IgG) from Invitrogen, Inc.; and anti-PCAF antibody (rabbit polyclonal), kindly provided by P. Nakatani (DFCI, Boston, MA).
HA-E2F1, HA-E2F3, HA-E2F4, FLAG-PCAF, and myc-SirT1 expression vectors and the Apaf-luc, DHFR-luc, and P1p73-luc reporter plasmids were previously described (2, 12, 23). Double-stranded Smart Pool siRNAs specific for either hSirT1 or PCAF and control siRNAs were purchased from Dharmacon Research Inc. and transfected using TransIT-TKO and TransIT-LT1 from Mirus, Inc.
Doxorubicin, nicotinamide (NAM), trichostatin (TSA), Valproate (VPA), resveratrol (RES), L-lactate, and pyruvate were all purchased from Sigma, Inc.
Immunoblotting and immunoprecipitations. Cells were lysed in radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl [pH 8], 1 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM EGTA, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], 0.1% deoxycholic acid, 140 mM NaCl, 1% Triton X-100, 1x protease inhibitor cocktail) for immunoblots and immunoprecipitations. NET buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl [pH 7.5], 150 mM NaCl, 0.1% Nonidet P-40, 1 mM EDTA [pH 8], 0.25% gelatin) was used for coimmunoprecipitation experiments. One milligram of cell extracts was immunoprecipitated overnight on a rocking platform at 4°C with the indicated antibodies (2 µg) and incubated with protein A or protein A/G Plus (Roche) (6) for 2 h at 4°C. The protein A/G-antigen-antibody complexes were washed three times with NET buffer, resuspended with LDL sample buffer (NuPAGE, Inc.) plus reducing agent (NuPAGE, Inc.), and heated at 70°C for 10 min. Samples were analyzed by electrophoresis with Tris-acetate or Bis-Tris minigels (NuPAGE, Inc.).
RT-PCR and qRT-PCR analysis. Total cellular RNAs were extracted with TRIzol reagent (Gibco BRL), and 1 µg was reverse transcribed with the ThermoScript reverse transcription (RT)-PCR system (Invitrogen). cDNAs were PCR amplified using TAp73-, caspase 7-, and Bim-specific primers. PCR amplicons were collected at 25, 30, and 35 cycles and separated on 2% agarose gels. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) was performed using TaqMan DNA Master mix (Applied Biosystems). The following RT-PCR primers were used: TAp73 sense (S) primer 5'-TTGCTAGCATGGACGTCTTCCACCTGG-3' and antisense (AS) primer 5'-GGCAAGCGTGCCTTCTAAGCGGCCGCAA-3', Bim S primer 5'-ATGGCAAAGCAACCTTCTGA-3' and AS primer 5'-TGTGGCTCTGTCTGTAGGGA-3', and caspase 7 S primer 5'-AAGAGGACCATACAAATGCCG-3' and AS primer 5'-TAGCCTGGAACCGTGGAATAGG-3'. Real-time qRT-PCR analysis for TAp73 expression was performed with the following primers: S primer 5'-TCTGGAGCTCTCTGGAACCA-3', AS primer 5'-TCCATGGTGCTGCTCAGC-3', and probe 5'-TCATGGCCCAGTTCAAT-3'.
ChIP assay. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments were carried out as previously described (23). In sequential ChIP experiments, endogenous PCAF- or hSirT1-chromatin complexes from U2Os cells were immunoprecipitated using the corresponding antibodies, eluted by incubation for 30 min at 37°C in 10 mM dithiothreitol, diluted in re-ChIP buffer (1% Triton X, 2 mM EDTA, 150 mM NaCl, 20 mM Tris-HCl [pH 8.0]), and subjected to the second ChIP procedure.
The following ChIP oligonucleotides were used: P1p73 promoter S primer 5'-TGAGCCATGAAGATGTGCGAG-3' and AS primer 5'-GCTGCTTATGGTCTGATGCTTATG-3', TP73 control S primer 5'-AAGCAGCCCATCAAGGAGGAGTTC-3' and AS primer 5'-GCAGTTTTGGACACACAGGAAGG-3', Bim promoter S primer 5'-GCTGCTAAGGCTTGTGTCCGGA-3' and AS primer 5'-TGCCCGCGTTCCCAATTGGT-3', Bim control S primer 5'-TGACGCACTTACTACGACTGACGG-3' and AS primer 5'-TTGCCCAGGACAGACTTCTTCG-3', caspase 7 promoter (human) S primer 5'-TTTGGGCACTTGGAGCGCG-3' and AS primer 5'-AAGAGCCCAAAGCGACCCGT-3', and caspase 7 control S primer5'-TCCGTTTGTAGCAAGCAAGAGAC-3' and AS primer 5'-CGGCGTCAGTGTCGGGAGTAAATA-3'.
Acetylation and deacetylation reactions. FLAG-PCAF was purified from baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells as previously described (12). Purified active bacterial glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged human SirT1 (amino acids 193 to 741) and purified histones were purchased from Upstate Inc. Purified bovine serum albumin (BSA) was purchased from Sigma, Inc. PCAF autoacetylation and PCAF-mediated histone acetylation were performed, as described previously (12), prior to inactivating PCAF histone acetyltransferase activity by incubating the acetylation reaction mixture for 30 min at 55°C. Acetylated PCAF, acetylated BSA, and acetylated histones were used as substrates for GST-hSirT1 in the deacetylation reaction (1 h at 30°C in 50 mM Tris-HCl [pH 8.0], 10% glycerol, 0.1 mM EDTA, 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and 10 mM Na-butyrate with or without 0.5 mM NAD+).
Biochemical evaluation of redox state.
hSirT1 enzymatic activity depends on NAD+ availability, and it is readily influenced by the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio (12, 15). An accurate and direct measure of the free cytoplasmic/nuclear levels of NAD+ is technically unattainable (12). Since the free cytoplasmic [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio approximates the free nuclear ratio (33), we determined the values for cellular lactate and pyruvate as an indirect measurement of the free cytoplasmic/nuclear [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio. The [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio was calculated from the equilibrium constant of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (KLDH) reaction as follows:
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A) was used to calculate the [lactate] and [pyruvate] in the neutralized extracts. The use of these concentrations along with the equilibrium constant for LDH allowed for the estimation of the cytosolic [NAD]/[NADH] ratio. |
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FIG. 1. Selective modulation of E2F1 apoptotic target genes by hSirT1. (a) U2Os cells were transfected with the indicated reporter constructs and either the E2F1 or the hSirT1 expression vector. Luciferase activity, expressed as induction over the control, was normalized for transfection efficiency using the dual-luciferase assay system. Histograms show the means of data for three experiments, each performed in quadruplicate; bars indicate standard deviations. (Right) Exogenously expressed E2F1 and hSirt1 are detected by anti-HA ( -HA) and anti-FLAG immunoblotting (IB), respectively. (b) RNAs from SaOs2 cells exposed for 24 h to TSA (100 nm) or NAM (25 mM) were analyzed with primers specific for TAp73, caspase 7, and Bim transcripts by PCR. Results are expressed as arbitrary units compared to the normalized basal level of expression of each gene in untreated cells. (c, top) Chromatin from asynchronously growing U2Os cells was immunoprecipitated with either the relevant control IgG or the indicated antibodies and analyzed with primers amplifying the region containing E2F sites in P1p73, Bim, and caspase 7 by PCR. (Bottom) Control reactions using distant primers (C) did not amplify anti-E2F1 and hSirT1 ChIP products.
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FIG. 2. hSirT1 modulates E2F1 recruitment and transcriptional activity on the P1p73 promoter. (a) U2Os cells were transfected with the P1p73 reporter and the indicated expression vectors and exposed for 24 h to NAM (10 to 25 mM), TSA (100 nm), and VPA (10 mM). (Top) Representative anti-HA ( -HA) and anti-FLAG immunoblot (IB) of exogenously expressed E2F1 and hSirt1/mthSirt1. (b) U2Os cells were transfected with the P1p73 reporter and the indicated expression vectors or exposed for 24 h to NAM (10 mM). (c, top left) Chromatin from untreated and NAM (10 mM)-treated U2Os cells was immunoprecipitated with either the relevant control IgG or anti-E2F1 antibodies and analyzed with P1p73 primers by PCR. Control reactions using distant primers (C) did not amplify anti-E2F1 ChIP products from either untreated or NAM-treated cells (data not shown). (Top right) Chromatin from untreated and NAM (10 mM)-treated U2Os cells was immunoprecipitated with either the relevant control IgG or anti-E2F1 antibodies and analyzed with the Bim promoter primers by PCR. Control reactions using distant primers (C) did not amplify anti-E2F1 ChIP products from either untreated or NAM-treated cells (data not shown). (Bottom left) TAp73 transcripts from untreated and NAM-treated U2Os cells were quantitated by qRT-PCR as described in the legend to Fig. 1B. (Bottom right) TAp73 and E2F1 protein levels detected by immunoblotting using specific antibodies. (d, left) Modulation of E2F1 binding to the P1p73 promoter by the hSirT1 deacetylase activity. HA-E2F1, wild-type hSirT1, and deacetylase-defective hSirT1-H355Y were exogenously expressed in U2Os cells and immunoprecipitated in a ChIP assay using a polyclonal anti-HA antibody. (Right) Densitometric quantification with Image J software.
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FIG. 3. hSirT1 regulates P1p73 activity in cells exposed to DNA damage. (a) U2Os cells transfected with the P1p73 reporter and treated for 24 h with doxorubicin (DOXO) (2 µM) were either cotransfected with control and hSirT1-specific siRNAs (left) or the hSirT1 expression vector (right) or treated with RES (30 µM), NAM (10 mM), TSA (100 nm), and VPA (10 mM) (right). (b, left) RNAs from U2Os cells exposed for 24 h to doxorubicin (2 µM), NAM (25 mM), or the combination of doxorubicin and NAM were analyzed by RT-PCR as described in the legend of Fig. 1b. (Top right) Representative immunoblotting analysis of TAp73 and E2F1 protein levels in untreated and doxorubicin-, nicotinamide-, and doxorubicin-plus-nicotinamide (D/N)-treated cells. (Bottom right) Immunoblotting (IB) densitometric quantification using Image J software with data from three independent experiments. (c, left) RNAs from F6 (E2F1+/+) and C15 (E2F1–/–) cells exposed for 24 h to doxorubicin (2 mM), NAM (25 mM), or the combination of doxorubicin and NAM were analyzed by RT-PCR as described in the legend to Fig. 1b. (Right) TAp73 protein levels in untreated and doxorubicin-, nicotinamide-, and doxorubicin-plus-nicotinamide-treated F6 (E2F1+/+) and C15 (E2F1–/–) cells.
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Next, we evaluated the impact of hSirT1 modulation on DNA damage-induced p53-independent apoptosis. In SaOs2 cells exposed to doxorubicin, apoptosis is mediated by the activation of the E2F1/p73 pathway (6, 23), and hSirT1 inhibition by NAM results in significant increases in the numbers of cleaved-caspase 3-positive cells (Fig. 4a, left), in levels of PARP cleavage (Fig. 4b, left), and in levels of caspase 9 accumulation (Fig. 4b, middle). p53 null Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cells are more resistant to DNA-damaging drugs (Fig. 4a, right) and display high levels of hSirT1 transcripts and protein (data not shown). The abrogation of SirT1 expression by specific siRNAs potentiated doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, assessed as both the number of cleaved-caspase 3-positive cells (Fig. 4a, right) and levels of PARP cleavage (Fig. 4b, right). The inhibition of p73 function by exogenously expressed p73DD, a p73-specific dominant negative (17, 23), abolished Hep3B apoptosis in response to doxorubicin, NAM, and their combination, indicating that the effect of hSirT1 on Hep3B cell death is mediated by p73 (Fig. 4c, left). As shown in Fig. 4c (right), E2F1+/+ mouse embryonic fibroblasts display a significantly stronger apoptotic response to doxorubicin treatment than do E2F1–/– mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Although the contribution of additional proapoptotic mechanisms cannot be excluded, these results reinforce the role of hSirt1, E2F1, and TAp73 acting as a pathway in mediating doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in p53 null cell environments.
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FIG. 4. hSirT1 regulates p53-independent apoptosis in response to DNA damage. (a) Inhibition of hSirT1 activity potentiates doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in p53 null cells. (Left) SaOs2 cells were exposed for 24 h to doxorubicin (DOXO) (2 µM), NAM (10 mM), and RES (30 µM). (Right) Hep3B cells transfected with control and hSirT1-specific siRNAs were exposed for 24 h to doxorubicin (2 µM). Active caspase 3-positive (apoptotic) cells were identified by indirect immunofluorescence and counted. Results are expressed as induction compared to basal caspase 3 activity measured in untreated cells. (b, left and middle) Whole-cell extracts from untreated and doxorubicin (2 µM)-, NAM (10 mM)-, and doxorubicin-plus-NAM-treated SaOs2 cells were immunoblotted (IB) with anti-cleaved PARP (left) and anti-cleaved caspase 9 (middle). (Right) Hep3B cells were treated as described above (a), and whole-cell extracts were immunoblotted with anti-cleaved PARP. (c) p73 mediates hSirT1 inhibition of p53-independent apoptosis in Hep3B cells exposed to DNA damage. p53 null Hep3B cells transfected with either control PCDNA3-HA vector or the pCDNA3-p73DD-HA expression vector were treated for 24 h with doxorubicin (2 mM), NAM (10 mM), and the combination of NAM plus Doxo (N/D). Active caspase 3-positive (apoptotic) cells were identified by indirect immunofluorescence and counted. Results are expressed as induction compared to that of untreated control and p73DD-transfected cells. The efficiencies of transfection ranged between 75 and 80% among experiments. The numbers of apoptotic cells were consistently between 30 and 40% apoptotic cells in doxorubicin- or NAM-treated cultures and >80% in cells treated with the combination of NAM and doxorubicin. NT, not treated. (Right) Whole extracts from F6 (E2F1+/+) and C15 (E2F1–/–) cells exposed for 24 h to doxorubicin (2 µM), NAM (25 mM), or the combination of doxorubicin and NAM were immunoblotted with anti-cleaved caspase 3 and anti-cleaved PARP. In the case of C15 (E2F1–/–) cells, data for both a short ECL exposure (2 min) and a longer exposure (2 h) are provided.
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FIG. 5. hSirT1, PCAF, and E2F1 interact and are corecruited onto the P1p73 promoter. (a) Chromatin from asynchronously growing U2Os cells was analyzed by sequential ChIP using either anti-E2F1 or anti-PCAF (first immunoprecipitation) and anti-hSirT1 (second immunoprecipitation). IgG, control immunoprecipitation with the relevant control IgGs. ChIP DNA was amplified with primers specific for the P1p73, Bim, and caspase 7 promoter regions containing E2F1 sites (Pr) and with the corresponding control distant oligonucleotides (C) (data not shown). (b) Extracts from asynchronously growing or doxorubicin (Doxo) (2 µM)-treated U2Os cells were immunoprecipitated (IP) with control IgG, anti-hSirT1, and anti-PCAF antibodies and immunoblotted (IB) with anti-hSirT1 ( -SirT1), anti-PCAF, and anti-E2F1 antibodies. (c) hSirT1 deacetylates PCAF in vitro. (Left) Baculovirus affinity-purified full-length FLAG-PCAF (kindly provided by V. Sartorelli, NIAMS, NIH) and purified active bacterial GST and GST-tagged human SirT1 (amino acids 193 to 741) were employed in the acetylation (lane a) and deacetylation (lanes b and c) reactions in vitro. Reaction products were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotted with the anti-acetyl-Lys antibody. Lane a shows in vitro PCAF autoacetylation. (Right) Acetylated BSA and acetylated histones (lane a) were incubated with GST-tagged human SirT1 (amino acids 193 to 741) (Upstate Inc.) in the deacetylation reaction (see b). Coomassie-stained gels show the input proteins used in the reactions. WB, Western blot. (d) hSirT1 regulates PCAF acetylation in vivo. (Left) 293 cells were transfected with the FLAG-PCAF vector and exposed to NAM (10 mM). Extracts were immunoprecipitated with the M2 FLAG antibody and immunoblotted with anti-acetyl-Lys antibody. (Middle) PCAF acetylation increases in response to DNA damage. Extracts from untreated and doxorubicin (2 µM)-treated U2Os cells were immunoprecipitated with either anti-PCAF or anti-acetyl-Lys antibody and immunoblotted with the anti-PCAF antibody. (Right) Total PCAF protein levels were analyzed by immunoblotting in whole-cell extracts (WCE) from untreated and doxorubicin-treated cells. Molecular weight positions (in thousands) in the SDS-polyacrylamide gels are shown.
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DNA damage modulates chromatin-bound hSirT1 deacetylase activity on the P1p73 promoter. Since hSirT1 binds to the P1p73 promoter in proliferating cells (Fig. 1c) and regulates E2F1 binding to the promoter (Fig. 2c and d), we postulated that under apoptotic conditions, hSirT1 would be released to favor the recruitment of transcriptionally active complexes containing E2F1 and PCAF. Unexpectedly, we found that hSirT1 is not released from the P1p73 promoter in vivo in doxorubicin-treated cells (Fig. 6a). We then investigated how the repression of the P1p73 promoter exerted by chromatin-bound hSirT1 might be relieved in response to DNA damage. hSirT1 enzymatic activity depends on NAD+ availability, and it is readily influenced by the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio. As an indirect measurement of the free [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio, we determined lactate and pyruvate levels in untreated and doxorubicin-treated cells. As shown in Fig. 6b, the NAD+/NADH+ ratio sharply decreases in cells exposed to apoptotic doses of doxorubicin, but it is not affected when lower nonapoptotic dosages of doxorubicin, which are unable to activate P1p73 transcription (23), are used. We next modulated the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio by culturing cells in the presence of either L-lactate (to decrease the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio) or pyruvate (to increase the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio) and evaluated TAp73 expression. As shown in Fig. 6c, TAp73 mRNA levels were increased by increasing the concentration of L-lactate (left), and the opposite was observed when cells were treated with pyruvate (right). Furthermore, the reactivation of hSirT1 deacetylase activity by pyruvate completely abolishes the DNA damage-induced activation of the endogenous P1p73 promoter and TAp73 expression (Fig. 6d), and NAM counteracts, at least in part, the inhibitory effect of pyruvate on the doxorubicin-induced activation of TA-p73 transcription (Fig. 6d). Altogether, these results link the modulation of chromatin-bound hSirT1 deacetylase activity by the intracellular redox state with the transcriptional activity of the P1p73 promoter and support a model in which the release of hSirT1 repression on the P1p73 promoter is mediated, in the context of the DNA damage response, by a modulation of promoter-bound hSirT1 deacetylase activity rather than by a "protein complex shifting."
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FIG. 6. DNA damage modulates chromatin-bound hSirT1 deacetylase activity on the P1p73 promoter. (a) hSirT1 occupancy of the P1p73 promoter is unaffected by DNA damage. Chromatin from untreated and doxorubicin (2 µM)-treated U2Os cells was immunoprecipitated with either relevant control IgGs or anti-hSirT1 ( -SirT1) antibody and analyzed by P1p73 (Pr) and C PCR primers. (b) DNA damage modulates hSirT1 enzymatic activity by reducing [NAD+] levels. Free [NAD+] was calculated by measurements of [lactate] and [pyruvate] (PyR) (data not shown) in extracts from asynchronously growing U2Os cells and from U2Os cells exposed to a low nonapoptotic (0.5 µM) or apoptotic (2 µM) dosage of doxorubicin (Doxo) for 18 h. (c) Modulation of the [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio affects TAp73 expression. Cells were cultured either in the absence or in the presence of L-lactate (10 mM) or pyruvate (30 mM) for 24 h, and both TAp73 and GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) mRNA levels were analyzed by RT-PCR as described in the legend of Fig. 1b. (d) Reactivation of hSirT1 deacetylase activity by pyruvate treatment abolishes the DNA damage-induced activation of the endogenous P1p73 promoter. Untreated and doxorubicin (2 µM)-treated cells were cultured either in the absence or in the presence of pyruvate (30 mM) and the combination of pyruvate and NAM (10 mM) for 24 h, and TAp73 mRNA levels were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR).
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Although it was widely reported that hSirT1 downregulates the stress-induced activation of p53 (18, 19, 28) and the p53-dependent DNA damage responses (3, 34), the knockdown of hSirT1 increases sensitivity to DNA-damaging drugs in both wild-type and null p53 cells (30; this paper). Moreover, it was recently shown that apoptosis in response to hSirT1 silencing in epithelial transformed cells has a delayed kinetics and that it is independent of p53 (10). These results and the demonstration that hSirT1 controls the E2F1/p73 apoptotic pathway identify hSirT1 and PCAF as being potential targets to modulate tumor cell survival and chemoresistance irrespective of p53 status.
Published ahead of print on 2 February 2009. ![]()
N.P. and F.G. are joint first authors. ![]()
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