BRCA1 involved in regulation of Bcl-2 expression and apoptosis susceptibility to ionizing radiation

BRCA1 has been proposed to be tightly linked to the resistance of tumor cells to ionizing radiation. The pathway leading to this phenomenon is not yet clear. In this work, we investigated the role of BRCA1 in the apoptosis regulation in response to carbon ion irradiation. We utilized three different cancer cell lines with various states for BRCA1 and p53 to identify the rela- tionship between endogenous BRCA1 and the apoptosis-related genes, and determine whether p53 function would affect the role of BRCA1 in apoptosis regulation. By Western blot analysis, we found that Bax expressions were not significantly changed after irradiation in all of three cell lines. However, Bcl-2 expression showed an up-regulation by endogenous BRCA1 regardless of p53 status. Moreover, the changes in Bcl-2 protein were due to the increase in the transcriptional levels of Bcl-2 mRNA, based on real-time PCR assay. At the same time, BRCAl-deficient cells showed a greater apoptosis susceptibility to irradiation when compared with BRCAl-proficient cells. The results suggest that BRCA1 might exert p53-independent regulative activities for Bcl-2, which seems account for the low apoptosis susceptibility in BRCAl-proficient carcinomas.

BRCA1 has been proposed to be tightly linked to the resistance of tumor cells to ionizing radiation. The pathway leading to this phenomenon is not yet clear. In this work, we investigated the role of BRCA1 in the apoptosis regulation in response to carbon ion irradiation. We utilized three different cancer cell lines with various states for BRCA1 and p53 to identify the relationship between endogenous BRCA1 and the apoptosis-related genes, and determine whether p53 function would affect the role of BRCA1 in apoptosis regulation. By Western blot analysis, we found that Bax expressions were not significantly changed after irradiation in all of three cell lines. However, Bcl-2 expression showed an up-regulation by endogenous BRCA1 regardless of p53 status. Moreover, the changes in Bcl-2 protein were due to the increase in the transcriptional levels of Bcl-2 mRNA, based on real-time PCR assay. At the same time, BRCA1-deficient cells showed a greater apoptosis susceptibility to irradiation when compared with BRCA1-proficient cells. The results suggest that BRCA1 might exert p53-independent regulative activities for Bcl-2, which seems account for the low apoptosis susceptibility in BRCA1-proficient carcinomas.