No abstract

Adult T cell leukemia derived factor (ADF)/thioredoxin (Trx) is known to be an important intracellular antioxidant involved in a number of redox reactions such as ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) as well as of tyrosinase. Since RNR is a key enzyme of nucleotide metabolism and DNA synthesis, a reduced Trx level would result in reduced enzymatic activity and cause DNA damage. Furthermore, Trx is considered to be an effective regulator of redox sensitive gene expression. The role of Trx in nucleotide metabolism and gene expression may be an explanation for increased chromosomal instability as well as hypersensitivity towards oxygen, ROI and ROI generating agents. The activity of tyrosinase, the key enzyme of melanin biosynthesis, is influenced by the thioredoxin level and by superoxide radicals. Low thioredoxin levels and high superoxide concentrations activate tyrosinase causing hyperpigmentation of the skin. In addition to the observed high superoxide concentration in Fanconi anemia (FA) patients, a low thioredoxin level might be responsible for the hyperpigmentation (cafe è-aulait spots) in this disease. We observed that overexpression of the thioredoxin cDNA in FA fibroblasts completely abolished the DNA damaging effects of mitomycin C and diepoxybutane and inhibited the constitutive activity of the nuclear factor U UB (NF-U UB) in SV40 transformed FA fibroblasts. However, spontaneous chromosomal breakage was not affected.z 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

The molecular defect of the hereditary disease Fanconi anemia (FA) remains unknown. The two theoretical possibilities are (1) an impaired DNA crosslink-repair system or (2) a disturbed oxygen metabolism either by overproduction of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) or by diminished detoxification of ROI. In order to gain further insight into the molecular mechanism of this disease, we have determined the repair capacity of FA cells challenged by crosslinking agents and have analyzed diverse biological systems that are involved in oxygen metabolism. We have tested normal and FA cells for oxygen consumption and for the activity of the antioxidant phospholipid-hydroperoxide-glutathione-peroxidase (PHGPx). FA cells show a reduced oxygen consumption and an increased PHGPx activity. Since spontaneous and induced chromosomal instability is a main cellular feature of FA, we have analyzed the redox state of cells and the effect of cytochrome P-450 (Cyt P-450) inhibitors and inducers on chromosomal breaks and micronuclei production. Our results indicate that Cyt P-450 enzymes, especially Cyt P-450 1A2, play a crucial role in radical metabolism in FA cells. Furthermore, we have determined NF-kappa B activity in untransformed cells and in SV40-transformed cells by gel shift experiments. NF-kappa B is a multiunit transcription factor that is known to be induced by ROI and that activates the expression of various genes involved in cellular responses to stress. NF-kappa B is constitutively induced in SV40-transformed FA cells probably as a consequence of an increased ROI level. Our results suggest that enzymatic defects in oxygen metabolism mediate the FA phenotype via impaired reactivity with ROI. Cyt P-450 1A2 appears to be a good candidate for the defective enzyme, even though no differences have been measured in the activity of this enzyme in FA and control fibroblasts in pilot experiments.