The roles of nitric oxide synthase and eIF2alpha kinases in regulation of cell cycle upon UVB-irradiation

Abstract

In response to ultraviolet light (UV)-induced damage, cells initiate cellular recovery mechanisms including activation of repair genes and redistribution of cell cycle phases. While most studies have focused on DNA damage-inducible transcriptional regulation of cell cycle checkpoints, translational regulation also plays an important role in control of cell cycle progression upon UV-irradiation. UV-irradiation activates two kinases, PERK and GCN2, which phosphorylate the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) and subsequently inhibit protein synthesis. We recently identified an upstream regulator, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which controls the activation of both PERK and GCN2 upon UVB-irradiation. Our data suggested that UVB induces NOS activation and NO• production, which reacts with superoxide (O2•−) to form peroxynitrite (ONOO−) and activate PERK. The NO• production also leads to L-Arg depletion and GCN2 activation. The elevation of nitric oxide and activation of PERK/GCN2 have been shown to play roles in regulation of cell cycle upon UVB irradiation. In the present study, we show that the cell cycle phases were redistributed by inhibition of NOS activation or reduction of oxidative stress upon UVB irradiation, indicating the roles of NO• and its oxidative products in regulation of cell cycle. We also demonstrate that both PERK and GCN2 were involved in regulation of cell cycle upon UVB-irradiation, but the regulation is independent of eIF2α phosphorylation. While the mechanism for UVB-induced cell cycle control is yet to be unraveled, we here discuss the differential roles of NOS, PERK and GCN2 in regulation of cell cycle upon UVB-irradiation.