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Defining the Mechanism and Function of DNA Double Strand Break Induced Inhibition of V(D)J Recombination

Award Number: F31AI152354
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/15/2023

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Defining the Mechanism and Function of DNA Double Strand Break Induced Inhibition of V(D)J Recombination - Project Summary: B cell-mediated adaptive immunity relies on the programmed induction of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) to create diverse immunoglobin (Ig) gene repertoires. The RAG1/RAG2 (RAG) endonuclease assembles Ig genes through recombination of variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments of Ig loci. This process is vital for adaptive immunity and mammalian survival yet, it also confers risk, as most B lineage cancers contain clonal translocations involving an Ig locus and a proto-oncogene, underscoring the vital importance of tightly regulating V(D)J recombination. My thesis lab discovered that RAG or genotoxic DSBs rapidly repress transcription of the Rag1/2 locus by signaling via the ATM kinase, a key regulator of the cellular DSB response. Atm-/- mice have higher frequencies of developing B cells with RAG DSBs at both Ig alleles and of mature B lymphocytes with Ig translocations. Moreover, B cell-specific Atm deletion in mice increases the incidence of B lineage lymphomas with Ig translocations. These data are consistent with DSB-induced repression of Rag1/2 being critical to protect from Ig translocations; yet, given the multifunctional roles of ATM in the DSB response, these phenotypes cannot be directly attributed to DSB-induced repression of Rag1/2 expression. Genotoxic DSBs induce ATM-dependent phosphorylation of the NFκB essential modulator (Nemo) protein to activate NFκB transcription factors. I show that Nemo-/- developing B cells have impaired repression of Rag1/2 in response to DSBs and display increased RAG DSBs at Ig loci. My data are consistent with prior Atm-/- studies, but unlike Atm-/- cells, Nemo-/- cells retain normal DSB repair and checkpoint/apoptosis activation. Thus, the Nemo-/- model provides me an opportunity to more directly test my central hypothesis that DSBs induce Nemo/NFκB-mediated transcriptional repression of Rag1/2 to suppress Ig translocations and resultant lymphoid cancers. I propose to elucidate the mechanism of Nemo-dependent Rag1/2 repression. Aim 1 of this proposal will test the hypothesis that NFκB factors directly bind the Rag1/2 Erag enhancer to mediate DSB-induced repression of Rag1/2 by inhibiting transcriptional elongation. This may reveal novel mechanisms of NFκB- mediated transcriptional repression, which are largely undefined. I will determine DSB-induced NFκB binding sites and their functional role in Rag1/2 repression. Furthermore, I will define the transcriptional state of Rag1/2 in the absence or presence of DSBs to determine the mechanistic levels at which DSBs repress Rag1/2. Aim 2 will test the hypothesis that DSB-induced repression of Rag1/2 limits RAG DSBs and thereby suppresses oncogenic Ig translocations. Mice with B cell specific deletion of Nemo will be used to i) quantify RAG DSBs at Ig alleles in pro-B and pre-B cells, ii) quantify Ig translocations in non-malignant B lineage cells, and iii) evaluate predisposition to B lineage cancers with oncogenic Ig translocations. The successful completion of these studies should elucidate DSB-induced mechanisms of RAG repression, provide new insights into NFκB-mediated transcriptional repression, and may uncover pathological mechanisms underpinning B lineage cancers.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = -$4,444 )
2024	2023	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	3/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$4,444
														Subtotal = -$4,444

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $15,906 )
2023	2023	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	3	2/23/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$942
2023	2023	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	3	7/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$19,240
2023	2023	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	12/6/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,204
														Subtotal = $15,906

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $46,752 )
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	2	5/10/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$717
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	2	5/25/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	12/31/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$46,036
														Subtotal = $46,752

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $46,036 )
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	1	2/15/2021	NEW	$516
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	12/3/2020	NEW	$45,520
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE	3451 WALNUT ST STE 440A	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	1	2/15/2021	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $46,036

Grand Total All Awards = $104,250

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Defining the Mechanism and Function of DNA Double Strand Break Induced Inhibition of V(D)J Recombination

Award Number: F31AI152354

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/15/2023

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