Acute telomere deprotection prevents ongoing BFB cycles and rampant instability in p16 INK4a -deficient epithelial cells

Telomere dysfunction drives chromosome instability through endless breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles that promote the formation of highly rearranged genomes. However, reactivation of telomerase or ALT-pathway is required for genome stabilisation and full malignant transformation. To allow the unre...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bernal Martínez, Aina|||0000-0002-6754-5668, Moltó Abad, Marc|||0000-0002-6364-4570, Domínguez, Daniel, Tusell Padrós, Laura|||0000-0002-2848-345X
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:238827
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/238827
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.18632/oncotarget.25502
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:MCF-10A
Breast epithelial cells
Chromosome instability
Telomere-dysfunction
TRF2 ΔBΔM
Descripción
Sumario:Telomere dysfunction drives chromosome instability through endless breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles that promote the formation of highly rearranged genomes. However, reactivation of telomerase or ALT-pathway is required for genome stabilisation and full malignant transformation. To allow the unrestricted proliferation of cells at risk of transformation, we have established a conditional system of telomere deprotection in p16 INK4a -deficient MCF-10A cells with modified checkpoints. After sustained expression of a dominant negative form of the shelterin protein TRF2 (TRF2 ΔBΔM), cells with telomere fusion did progress to anaphase but no signs of ongoing BFB cycles were observed, thus anticipating proliferation defects. Indeed, 96 h TRF2 ΔBΔM expression resulted in noticeable growth proliferation defects in the absence of cell cycle disturbances. Further transient periods of 96 h telomere uncapping did not result in cell cycle disturbances either. And reduction of the telomere damage to short acute deprotection periods did not in any case engender cells with a reorganised karyotype. Strikingly, the growth arrest imposed in cells showing dysfunctional telomeres was not accompanied by an activation of the DNA damage response at cellular level, or by the presence of visible markers of senescence or apoptosis. We propose that the deprotection of many telomeres simultaneously, even for a short time, results in a local activation of the cellular stress response which consequently triggers gradual cell withdrawal from cell cycle, restraining the onset of genomic instability.