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Impaired function of p53R2 in Rrm2b-null mice causes severe renal failure through attenuation of dNTP pools

Nature Genetics volume 34, pages 440–445 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

p53R2, which is regulated by tumor suppressor p53, is a small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase1. To determine whether it is involved in DNA repair by supplying deoxyribonucleotides (dNTPs) for resting cells in vivo2,3,4,5, we generated a strain of mice lacking Rrm2b (encoding p53R2). These mice developed normally until they were weaned but from then on had growth retardation and early mortality. Pathological examination indicated that multiple organs had failed, and all Rrm2b-null mice died from severe renal failure by the age of 14 weeks. TUNEL staining showed a greater number of apoptotic cells in kidneys of 8-week-old Rrm2b−/− mice relative to wild-type mice. p53 was activated in kidney tissues of Rrm2b−/− mice, leading to transcriptional induction of p53 target genes. Rrm2b−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) became immortal much earlier than Rrm2b+/+ MEFs. dNTP pools were severely attenuated in Rrm2b−/− MEFs under oxidative stress. Rrm2b deficiency caused higher rates of spontaneous mutation in the kidneys of Rrm2b−/− mice. Our results suggest that p53R2 has a pivotal role in maintaining dNTP levels for repair of DNA in resting cells. Impairment of this pathway may enhance spontaneous mutation frequency and activate p53-dependent apoptotic pathway(s) in vivo, causing severe renal failure, growth retardation and early mortality.

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Figure 1: Growth retardation and early mortality of Rrm2b−/− mice.
Figure 2: Severe renal failure in Rrm2b−/− mice by activating p53-dependent apoptosis.
Figure 3: Multiple organ failure in Rrm2b−/− mice.
Figure 4: Earlier immortalization and greater susceptibility to oxidative stress with Rrm2b deficiency.
Figure 5: Severe alteration of dNTP pools in Rrm2b−/− MEFs after oxidative stress.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Y. Fujisawa, Y. Anazawa, Y. Kikuta, N. Nishino, T. Wadatsu, T. Sato and N. Miyazawa for technical assistance. This work was supported in part by Research for the Future Program Grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (to Y.N.) and in part by a grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (to H.A.).

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  1. Hirofumi Arakawa

    Present address: Cancer Medicine and Biophysics Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Tokyo, 108-8639, Minato-ku, Japan

    Takashi Kimura, Yoji Sagiya, Yusuke Nakamura & Hirofumi Arakawa

  2. Department of Surgery I, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan

    Takashi Kimura & Mitsukazu Gotoh

  3. Otsuka GEN Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., 463-10 Kagasuno, Kawauchi-cho, 771-0192, Tokushima, Japan

    Satoshi Takeda

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Correspondence to Yusuke Nakamura.

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Kimura, T., Takeda, S., Sagiya, Y. et al. Impaired function of p53R2 in Rrm2b-null mice causes severe renal failure through attenuation of dNTP pools. Nat Genet 34, 440–445 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1212

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