Cancer Associated Defects In The Dna Damage Response Drivers For Malignant Transformation And Potential Therapeutic Targets

For this eBook, and the associated Research Topic in Frontiers in Genetics, entitled: ‘Cancer-associated defects in the DNA damage response: drivers for malignant transformation and potential therapeutic targets’ we have selected 10 papers that each discusses important, yet distinct aspects of the response to DNA damage in normal cells and cancer cells. Using an evolutionary conserved signaling network called the ‘DNA damage response (DDR)’ cells maintain the integrity of their genome, and thus safeguard cellular functioning and the ability to create viably progeny. Initially, the DDR appeared to consist of few linear kinase-driven pathways. However, research over the past decades in model organisms, as well as in the human system has revealed that the DDR is a complex signaling network, wired by multiple parallel pathways and displaying extensive crosstalk. Besides phosphorylation, multiple other post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination and sumoylation, are involved to achieve chromatin remodeling and initiation of DNA repair. Also, rather than being a cell-intrinsic phenomenon, we increasingly appreciate that cell-cell communication is involved. The recognition and repair of DNA damage is essential to maintain normal physiology. Multiple pathological conditions have been attributed to defective DNA repair, most notably accelerated aging, neurodegeneration and cancer. In the context of cancer, through repair of DNA damage or elimination of irreparably damaged cells, the DDR clearly has a tumor-suppressive role. Indeed, many tumor cells show partially inactivated DDR signaling, which allows proliferation in the context of DNA damage-inducing oncogenes. Simultaneously, loss of specific DDR signaling nodes creates a specific dependence of tumor cells on their remaining DDR components, and thus creates therapeutic opportunities. Especially in the context of cancer treatment, numerous targeted agents are under investigation, either to potentiate the cytotoxic effects of chemo-radiotherapy, or to induce synthetic lethality with cancer-specific alterations, with the treatment of BRCA1/2 mutant cancers with PARP1 inhibitors as a prototype example. We have selected four review articles that provide insight into the key components and the wiring of the DDR and DNA repair. Torgovnick and Schumacher review the involvement of DNA repair in the initiation and treatment of cancer, Brinkmann et al., describe the involvement of ubiquitination in DNA damage signaling and Jaiswal and Lindqvist discuss how cell-extrinsic signaling participates in communication of DNA damage to neighboring cells. In addition, Shatneyeva and colleagues review the connection between the cellular response to DNA damage and escape from immune surveillance. Concerning the therapeutic application of targeting the DDR and DNA repair, three articles were included. Krajewska and van Vugt review the wiring of homologous recombination and how this offers therapeutic opportunities. Additionally, Knittel and colleagues describe how genetic loss of the central DDR component ATM in chronic lymphocytic leukemia can be exploited therapeutically by targeting certain parallel DNA repair pathways. Syljuasen and colleagues report on how targeting of the DDR can be used as a therapeutic strategy in lung cancer. Finally, three chapters describe newly identified regulators of the cellular response to DNA damage. Von Morgen et al. describe the R2TP complex, Lezzi and Fanciluuli review the involvement of Che-1/AATF in the DDR, and Ohms and co-authors describe how retrotransposons are at the basis of increased genomic instability. Altogether, these articles describe how defective responses to DNA damage underlie disease - and especially in the context of cancer -can be exploited to better treat disease.

For this eBook, and the associated Research Topic in Frontiers in Genetics, entitled: 'Cancer-associated defects in the DNA damage response: drivers for malignant transformation and potential therapeutic targets' we have selected 10 papers that each discusses important, yet distinct aspects of the response to DNA damage in normal cells and cancer cells. Using an evolutionary conserved signaling network called the 'DNA damage response (DDR)' cells maintain the integrity of their genome, and thus safeguard cellular functioning and the ability to create viably progeny. Initially, the DDR appeared to consist of few linear kinase-driven pathways. However, research over the past decades in model organisms, as well as in the human system has revealed that the DDR is a complex signaling network, wired by multiple parallel pathways and displaying extensive crosstalk. Besides phosphorylation, multiple other post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination and sumoylation, are involved to achieve chromatin remodeling and initiation of DNA repair. Also, rather than being a cell-intrinsic phenomenon, we increasingly appreciate that cell-cell communication is involved. The recognition and repair of DNA damage is essential to maintain normal physiology. Multiple pathological conditions have been attributed to defective DNA repair, most notably accelerated aging, neurodegeneration and cancer. In the context of cancer, through repair of DNA damage or elimination of irreparably damaged cells, the DDR clearly has a tumor-suppressive role. Indeed, many tumor cells show partially inactivated DDR signaling, which allows proliferation in the context of DNA damage-inducing oncogenes. Simultaneously, loss of specific DDR signaling nodes creates a specific dependence of tumor cells on their remaining DDR components, and thus creates therapeutic opportunities. Especially in the context of cancer treatment, numerous targeted agents are under investigation, either to potentiate the cytotoxic effects of chemo-radiotherapy, or to induce synthetic lethality with cancer-specific alterations, with the treatment of BRCA1/2 mutant cancers with PARP1 inhibitors as a prototype example. We have selected four review articles that provide insight into the key components and the wiring of the DDR and DNA repair. Torgovnick and Schumacher review the involvement of DNA repair in the initiation and treatment of cancer, Brinkmann et al., describe the involvement of ubiquitination in DNA damage signaling and Jaiswal and Lindqvist discuss how cell-extrinsic signaling participates in communication of DNA damage to neighboring cells. In addition, Shatneyeva and colleagues review the connection between the cellular response to DNA damage and escape from immune surveillance. Concerning the therapeutic application of targeting the DDR and DNA repair, three articles were included. Krajewska and van Vugt review the wiring of homologous recombination and how this offers therapeutic opportunities. Additionally, Knittel and colleagues describe how genetic loss of the central DDR component ATM in chronic lymphocytic leukemia can be exploited therapeutically by targeting certain parallel DNA repair pathways. Syljuasen and colleagues report on how targeting of the DDR can be used as a therapeutic strategy in lung cancer. Finally, three chapters describe newly identified regulators of the cellular response to DNA damage. Von Morgen et al. describe the R2TP complex, Lezzi and Fanciluuli review the involvement of Che-1/AATF in the DDR, and Ohms and co-authors describe how retrotransposons are at the basis of increased genomic instability. Altogether, these articles describe how defective responses to DNA damage underlie disease - and especially in the context of cancer -can be exploited to better treat disease.

Topic Editor Christian Reinhardt has received funding from companies Gilead, and lecture fees from Abbvie, Merck, and AstraZeneca. All other topic editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.

Over the past decade a complex role for DNA damage response (DDR) in tumorigenesis has emerged. A proficient DDR has been shown to be a primary cause for cellular resistance to the very many DNA damaging drugs, and IR, that are widely used as standard-of-care across multiple cancer types. It has also been shown that defects in this network, predominantly within the ATM mediated signaling pathway, are commonly observed in cancers and may be a primary event during tumorigenesis. Such defects may promote a genomically unstable environment, facilitating the persistence of mutations, any of which may provide a growth or survival advantage to the developing tumor. In addition, these somatic defects provide opportunities to exploit a reliance on remaining repair pathways for survival, a process which has been termed synthetic lethality. As a result of all these observations there has been a great interest in targeting the DDR to provide anti-cancer agents that may have benefit as monotherapy in cancers with high background DNA damage levels or as a means to increase the efficacy of DNA damaging drugs and IR. In this book we will review a series of important topics that are of great interest to a broad range of academic, industrial and clinical researchers, including the basic science of the DDR, its role in tumorigenesis and in dictating response to DNA damaging drugs and IR. Additionally, we will focus on the several proteins that have been targeted in attempts to provide drug candidates, each of which appear to have quite distinct profiles and could represent very different opportunities to provide patient benefit.

The ?eld of cellular responses to DNA damage has attained widespread recognition and interest in recent years commensurate with its fundamental role in the ma- tenance of genomic stability. These responses, which are essential to preventing cellular death or malignant transformation, are organized into a sophisticated s- tem designated the “DNA damage response”. This system operates in all living organisms to maintain genomic stability in the face of constant attacks on the DNA from a variety of endogenous by-products of normal metabolism, as well as exogenous agents such as radiation and toxic chemicals in the environment. The response repairs DNA damage via an intricate cellular signal transduction network that coordinates with various processes such as regulation of DNA replication, tr- scriptional responses, and temporary cell cycle arrest to allow the repair to take place. Defects in this system result in severe genetic disorders involving tissue degeneration, sensitivity to speci?c damaging agents, immunode?ciency, genomic instability, cancer predisposition and premature aging. The ?nding that many of the crucial players involved in DNA damage response are structurally and functionally conserved in different species spurred discoveries of new players through similar analyses in yeast and mammals. We now understand the chain of events that leads to instantaneous activation of the massive cellular responses to DNA lesions. This book summarizes several new concepts in this rapidly evolving ?eld, and the advances in our understanding of the complex network of processes that respond to DNA damage.

Mark R. Kelley

Cancer Screening and Genetics is reviewed extensively in this important Surgical Clinics of North America issue. Articles include: Cancer Genetics and Implications for Clinical Management; Epigenetics and Cancer; Screening and Early Detection of Cancer: Successes and Failures; Screening for Lung Cancer; Screening for Breast Cancer; Viral Hepatitis and Hepatocellular Cancer: How Should Patients Be Screened?; Screening for Pancreatic Cancer: Where Do We Stand?; Hereditary Colorectal Cancer: Genetics and Screening; Personalized Approach to Gastrointestinal Cancers; Screening for Colorectal Cancer; Screening for Prostate Cancer: Why the Controversy?; Gastric Cancer: East versus West—Is screening and early detection the difference?; and more!