An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.

Radiotherapy is a mainstay of treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), either definitive or adjuvant to surgery. Biological factors known to affect radiation response are hypoxia and DNA repair capacity, but several lines of evidence indicate that other genes and pathways in the...

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Main Authors: Reinout H de Roest, Marijke Buijze, Myrthe Veth, Klaas de Lint, Govind Pai, Martin A Rooimans, Rob M F Wolthuis, Arjen Brink, Jos B Poell, Ruud H Brakenhoff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329731
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author Reinout H de Roest
Marijke Buijze
Myrthe Veth
Klaas de Lint
Govind Pai
Martin A Rooimans
Rob M F Wolthuis
Arjen Brink
Jos B Poell
Ruud H Brakenhoff
author_facet Reinout H de Roest
Marijke Buijze
Myrthe Veth
Klaas de Lint
Govind Pai
Martin A Rooimans
Rob M F Wolthuis
Arjen Brink
Jos B Poell
Ruud H Brakenhoff
author_sort Reinout H de Roest
collection DOAJ
description Radiotherapy is a mainstay of treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), either definitive or adjuvant to surgery. Biological factors known to affect radiation response are hypoxia and DNA repair capacity, but several lines of evidence indicate that other genes and pathways in the tumor cells might be involved that have not been elucidated. Here, we report the results of a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 functional genomics screen in HNSCC cells to identify radiosensitizing genes. Remarkably, microtubule organizing genes were identified with CLASP1 as most unexpected radiosensitizing hit. Clonogenic assay confirmed the radiosensitizing effect of CLASP1 knockout. Functional analysis showed that CLASP1 knockout has major impact during S-phase, and resulted in mitotic cells with broken chromosomes and cell death. CLASP1 and possibly the microtubule machinery in broader sense seem involved in protection of HNSCC cells against radiation-induced DNA damage. This newly identified mechanism provides an outlook for novel treatment approaches in HNSCC.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-8a0e2f7d519f4c62b90be5f99293bca32025-08-23T05:32:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01208e032973110.1371/journal.pone.0329731An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.Reinout H de RoestMarijke BuijzeMyrthe VethKlaas de LintGovind PaiMartin A RooimansRob M F WolthuisArjen BrinkJos B PoellRuud H BrakenhoffRadiotherapy is a mainstay of treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), either definitive or adjuvant to surgery. Biological factors known to affect radiation response are hypoxia and DNA repair capacity, but several lines of evidence indicate that other genes and pathways in the tumor cells might be involved that have not been elucidated. Here, we report the results of a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 functional genomics screen in HNSCC cells to identify radiosensitizing genes. Remarkably, microtubule organizing genes were identified with CLASP1 as most unexpected radiosensitizing hit. Clonogenic assay confirmed the radiosensitizing effect of CLASP1 knockout. Functional analysis showed that CLASP1 knockout has major impact during S-phase, and resulted in mitotic cells with broken chromosomes and cell death. CLASP1 and possibly the microtubule machinery in broader sense seem involved in protection of HNSCC cells against radiation-induced DNA damage. This newly identified mechanism provides an outlook for novel treatment approaches in HNSCC.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329731
spellingShingle Reinout H de Roest
Marijke Buijze
Myrthe Veth
Klaas de Lint
Govind Pai
Martin A Rooimans
Rob M F Wolthuis
Arjen Brink
Jos B Poell
Ruud H Brakenhoff
An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
PLoS ONE
title An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
title_full An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
title_fullStr An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
title_full_unstemmed An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
title_short An unexpected role of CLASP1 in radiation response and S-phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells.
title_sort unexpected role of clasp1 in radiation response and s phase regulation of head and neck cancer cells
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329731
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