Endogenous DNA damage clusters in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

Clustered DNA damages-multiple oxidized bases, abasic sites, or strand breaks within a few helical turns-are potentially mutagenic and lethal alterations induced by ionizing radiation. Endogenous clusters are found at low frequencies in unirradiated normal human cells and tissues. Radiation-sensitive hematopoietic cells with low glycosylase levels JK6 and WI-L2-NS) accumulate oxidized base Clusters but not abasic clusters, indicating that cellular repair genotype affects endogenous cluster levels. We asked whether other factors, i.e., in the cellular microenvironment, affect endogenous cluster levels and composition in hematopoietic TK6 and WI-L2-NS cells Were grown in standard medium (RPM[ 1640) alone or supplemented with cells. folate and/or selenium; oxidized base cluster levels were highest in RPM1 1640 and reduced in selenium-supplemented medium. Abasic clusters were low under all conditions. In primary hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from four non-tobacco-using donors, cluster levels were low. However, in cells from tobacco users, we observed high oxidized base clusters and also abasic clusters, previously observed only in irradiated cells. Protein levels and activity of the abasic endonuclease Ape1 were Similar if) the tobacco users and nonusers. These data suggest that in highly damaging environments, even normal DNA repair capacity can be overwhelmed, leaving highly repair-resistant Clustered damages. Published by Elsevier Inc.